Religiousness and Minority Stress in Conservatively Religious Sexual Minorities: Lessons from Latter-day Saints

Author(s):  
G. Tyler Lefevor ◽  
Samuel J. Skidmore ◽  
James S. McGraw ◽  
Edward B. Davis ◽  
Ty R. Mansfield
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Diamond ◽  
Molly R. Butterworth ◽  
Ritch C. Savin-Williams

The present chapter provides a review of some of the primary psychological issues confronting sexual minorities (i.e., individuals with same-sex attractions and relationships). Our goal is to provide a flexible set of preliminary questions that can be used to help sexual-minority clients to articulate their own idiosyncratic experiences and give voice to their own unique needs. We begin by addressing two of the most common and important clinical issues faced by sexual minorities: generalized “minority stress” and acceptance and validation from the family of origin. We then turn attention to the vast—and vastly underinvestigated—population of individuals with bisexual attractions and behavior, who actually constitute the majority of the sexual-minority population, despite having been systematically excluded from most prior research. We review the increasing body of research suggesting that individuals with bisexual patterns of attraction and behavior actually face greater mental health risks than those with exclusive same-sex attractions and behavior, and we explore potential processes and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, focusing particular attention on issues of identity development and transition over the life span. We conclude by outlining a number of areas for future clinically oriented research.


2021 ◽  
pp. 089124322110098
Author(s):  
Laura C. Frizzell ◽  
Mike Vuolo ◽  
Brian C. Kelly

Social scientists have expended substantial effort to identify group patterns of deviant behavior. Yet beyond the ill-conceived treatment of sexual minorities as inherently deviant, they have rarely considered how gendered sexual identities (GSIs) shape participation in deviance. We argue for the utility of centering theories of gender and sexuality in intersectional deviance research. We demonstrate how this intentional focus on gender and sexuality provides important empirical insights while avoiding past pitfalls of stigmatizing sexual minorities. Drawing on theories of hegemonic masculinity, emphasized femininity, and minority stress together with criminological general strain theory, we demonstrate how societal expectations and constraints generate strains among GSI groups that may lead to distinctly patterned deviance, using the case of prescription drug misuse during sex. We employ thematic analysis of 120 in-depth interviews with people who misuse prescription drugs, stratified by GSI. We identify six themes highlighting distinct pathways from strain to misuse during sex for different GSI groups: intimacy management, achieving sexual freedom, regulating sexual mood, performance confidence, increased sense of control, and managing sexual identity conflict. In this article, we demonstrate the empirical and theoretical importance of centering gender and sexuality in deviance research and provide a roadmap for theoretical integration.


Sexualities ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 932-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan J Watson ◽  
Yousef M Shahin ◽  
Miriam R Arbeit

Research on hookups has grown to keep pace with new opportunities for initiations to engage in casual sex. However, most of the scholarship has been heteronormative, which is problematic because sexual minority (e.g., gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer) individuals report unique experiences in relation to their sexual experiences and health. Through minority stress, positive youth development, and grounded theory of resiliency frameworks, we studied the initiation patterns and outcomes related to hooking up among sexual minorities. Interviews were conducted with 17 participants aged 18 to 25 ( Mage = 22) in British Columbia, Canada. We found that gay males most often used social media applications to initiate hookups; bisexual young women and lesbians were most likely to use social gatherings. Despite most scholarship focusing on risks associated with hooking up, we found that outcomes of LGB young adults were more positive than negative. By way of the minority stress and resiliency frameworks, we position hookups as potential coping mechanisms in response to sexual minority stress experiences. Stakeholders should be aware of the challenges associated with hooking up for sexual minorities.


2022 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sérgio A. Carvalho ◽  
Paula Castilho ◽  
Daniel Seabra ◽  
Céu Salvador ◽  
Daniel Rijo ◽  
...  

Abstract In a cisheteronormative culture, gender and sexual minorities (GSMs) may experience additional challenges that get in the way of a meaningful life. It is crucial that clinicians are mindful of these challenges and cognizant about the specificities of clinical work with GSMs. This article points out how societal structure interferes with mental health, and clarifies what clinicians must take into account when using affirmative cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. Knowledge of up-to-date terminology and use of affirmative language are the first steps that contribute to clients’ experience of respect, which is paramount for the development of a good therapeutic relationship. Considering a conceptual framework of minority stress to understand vulnerability in GSM, specificities in formulation and key psychological processes are discussed. Moreover, guidelines and practical tools for intervention are presented within a CBT approach. Some reflections on therapists’ own personal biases are encouraged, in order to increase the efficacy of interventions. Key learning aims After reading this article you will be able to: (1) Recognize the uniqueness of gender and sexual minorities (GSM) stressors in broad and specific contexts, and their impact on mental health. (2) Identify the underlying key processes and specificities in therapeutic work with GSMs, from a CBT perspective. (3) Recognize the importance of a culturally sensitive approach in affirmative CBT interventions.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Cronin ◽  
Christopher A. Pepping ◽  
W. Kim Halford ◽  
Anthony Lyons

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 521-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Lick ◽  
Laura E. Durso ◽  
Kerri L. Johnson

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mason Garrison ◽  
Michael J. Doane ◽  
Marta Elliott

Sexual minorities have poorer mental and physical health than heterosexuals; these health disparities are consistently attributed to discrimination. However, the mechanisms linking discrimination with health outcomes remain unclear. This exploratory study examines whether fast-acting mechanisms, like the minority stress model's “stressful social environment[s],” contribute to these disparities by exploiting the unanticipated election of Donald Trump on November 8, 2016. Gay men and lesbians participated in a 10-day longitudinal daily-diary study, beginning the day before the election (November 7–16, 2016). On the day after the election, participants reported immediate changes in health (e.g., depression, Cohen’s d = 1.33; illness, 0.44), well-being (e.g., happiness, −0.91), and discrimination (0.45). The immediacy and magnitude of participants’ responses are consistent with the minority stress model. This study provides a window into the experiences of gay men and lesbians, and illustrates how minority stresses, such as political uncertainty and discrimination, may impact vulnerable sexual minorities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-74
Author(s):  
Emma Fredrick ◽  
Stacey Williams

Sexual minorities experience minority stress, which is associated with mental health disparities. However, specific dimensions of identity may buffer against these disparities. While research in other stigmatized populations has found evidence for direct and moderating effects of identity on mental health, limited research has examined these dimensions in sexual minorities. We explored the potential direct and moderating effects of identity dimensions with regards to sexual stigma and mental health. Findings from 209 lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals revealed higher centrality of sexual orientation identity and more positive private regard predicted lower psychological distress and more positive private regard predicted higher self-esteem. Additionally, centrality moderated the effect of public stigma, such that those who reported higher centrality did not report decrements to self-esteem in the face of public stigma to the extent of those with low centrality. Findings suggest centrality and private regard contribute to the psychological wellbeing of sexual minorities.


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