Research on sexual orientation and human development: A commentary.

Over the last 25 yrs, dramatic advances have occurred in the understanding of the development of sexual orientation. Gay and lesbian interests and behavior appear to result from a complex interplay of genetic, prenatal, and environmental influences. Gender identity develops early, especially for males, and is difficult to change. Homosexuality is less likely to be characterized as pathological, although discrimination and hate crimes continue to affect many gay men and lesbians. The overall emotional well-being of gay men and lesbians, as well as children raised in gay and lesbian families, is as psychologically healthy as that of their heterosexual counterparts. Methodological difficulties in research remain with continued needs for more delineated definitions of sexual orientation and empirically derived databases of population statistics of gay men and lesbians. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of sexual orientation similarity and counselor experience level on gay men's and lesbians' perceptions of counselors.

Investigated the effects of sexual orientation similarity of counselor and client as well as counselor experience level on perceptions of counselors by gay men and lesbians. After receiving pre-session information in which the variables of counselor sexual orientation (gay male/lesbian or heterosexual) and experience level (experienced vs inexperienced) were manipulated, 40 gay male and 40 lesbian Ss in parallel experiments viewed different 15-min videotapes of same-sex counselor–client pairs and then completed the Counselor Rating Form (A. Barak and M. B. LaCrosse, 1975). Results indicated that the lesbian Ss rated the experienced therapists, both lesbian and heterosexual, as more expert; there were no other significant main or interaction effects. The results suggest that sexual orientation of the counselor may be a less salient concern of gay men and lesbians when the therapeutic issue is not sexual in nature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"I only read about myself on bathroom walls": the need for research on the mental health of lesbians and gay men

The very recent history of pathologizing homosexuality still has a strong impact on the public in general and mental health professionals in particular. In contrast to the early research on sexual reorientation of lesbians and gay men, there is relatively little empirical research on the mental health issues of lesbians and gay men. Whether researchers choose to define sexual orientation by sexual behavior, self-definition, or membership in lesbian and gay community groups will have an impact on the results. Research on mental health issues that include lesbians, gay men, and heterosexual women and men would allow an examination of the relative salience of gender versus sexual orientation. Finally, the experiences of lesbians and gay men in society may place them at increased risk for some mental health problems and may protect them from other mental health problems.     

Review of Lesbian and gay psychology: Theory, research, and clinical applications.

Reviews the book, Lesbian and gay psychology: Theory, research, and clinical applications by Beverly Greene and Gregory M. Herek (1994). This volume is a collection of theoretical, research, and clinical articles which share in common only their focus of a psychological approach to gay and lesbian issues. Particularly admirable is the handling of a variety of lesbian issues including sexual pride and shame, physical appearance, and feminist politics of sexual orientation. There are also good articles on stereotypes and attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. This volume moves the psychological study of lesbian and gay issues beyond being merely gay affirmative into looking at hard issues, and reconnecting gay studies with the larger body of psychological theory, research, and clinical practice. As a psychological potpourri of articles, it suggests what can be accomplished in lesbian and gay psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to the special section: Mental health of lesbians and gay men.

There has been little focus on the mental health of lesbians and gay men in the 2 decades since homosexuality was removed as a diagnostic category from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1980). This special section contains articles on research methodology on lesbian and gay mental health; the practice and ethics of sexual orientation conversion therapy; the mental health results of the National Lesbian Health Care Survey; ethnicity and sexual orientation; sexual orientation as a factor in research on eating disorders and body dissatisfaction; and verbal and physical abuse as stressors in the lives of lesbian and gay youths. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lesbian and gay male group identity attitudes and self-esteem: Implications for counseling.

96 lesbians and gay men (aged 18–46 yrs) completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a modified version of J. E. Helms and T. A. Parham's (1985) Racial Identity Attitude Scale (RIAS). Based on W. E. Cross's (1971, 1978) model of African-American identity development, the RIAS assesses 4 distinct psychological stages (preencounter, encounter, immersion-emersion, and internalization), which are thought to correspond to a parallel process in the development of gay male and lesbian group identity attitudes. Consistent with findings among other minority groups, the results indicated a moderate inverse relationship between preencounter attitudes and self-esteem and a positive relationship between internalization attitudes and self-esteem. Encounter and immersion-emersion attitudes were (nonsignificantly) negatively correlated with self-esteem. Implications for counseling gay men and lesbians are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gay and lesbian clients' selection of therapists and utilization of therapy.

Examined gay and lesbian clients' therapy utilization and therapist selection. Specifically the study examined whether clients' sexual orientation and gender relate to the total number of therapists seen and to the average duration of therapy, what the demographic characteristics of the therapists chosen by gay and lesbian clients are, the likelihood that gay men and lesbians prescreened potential therapists for gay-affirmative attitudes, the methods used to prescreen, and if the prescreening related to client satisfaction. 172 gay men and 220 lesbians (aged 22–71 yrs) who had seen at least 1 therapist participated in the study. A comparison group of 81 heterosexual individuals matched for demographic characteristics also participated in the study. Results show that 41% of the therapists gay and lesbian Ss saw in the 1990s were gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Of the therapists seen, 63% had been screened for gay-affirmative attitudes by respondents before being selected. Prescreening was associated with higher therapist ratings. Several methods for therapist screening were reported including seeking a referral. Results also show that gay and lesbian Ss reported seeing more therapists and seeing therapists for longer durations than heterosexual Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measuring attitudes regarding bisexuality in lesbian, gay male, and heterosexual populations.

Five studies on the development and validation of the Attitudes Regarding Bisexuality Scale (ARBS) were conducted. Factor analysis of an initial pool of 80 items yielded 2 factors assessing the degree to which bisexuality is viewed as a tolerable, moral sexual orientation (Tolerance) and a legitimate, stable sexual orientation (Stability). Three forms of the ARBS were created: a form to assess attitudes about female and male bisexuality (i.e., ARBS-FM) and forms to assess attitudes about female bisexuality (i.e, ARBS-F) and male bisexuality (ARBS-M). These forms evidenced moderate-to-high internal consistency reliability in both lesbian and gay samples and heterosexual samples. In heterosexual women and men, subscale were most strongly related to attitudes toward lesbians and gay men; frequency of religious attendance; political ideology; and prior contact with lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. In lesbians and gay men, subscales correlated with prior experiences with bisexual people, desired contact with bisexual people, contact with homosexual people, and sexual orientation identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Essential issues in working with lesbian and gay male youths.

Psychologists working with young gay men and lesbians may experience public and agency resistance based primarily on the confusion of moral and rational thinking and on homophobia. To work effectively with young lesbians and gay men, psychologists need to be relatively free of homophobia and knowledgeable about gay male and lesbian life-styles. Provision of developmental process information to the client is very useful. Internal and external homophobia, a lack of healthful role models, coming out to oneself and others, and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) are among the most critical problems faced by young gay men and lesbians. Although a discussion of intervention techniques is beyond the scope of this article, bibliotherapy is briefly described as one effective intervention in that it provides necessary information to the client and it serves as a springboard for therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Relationship of Symbolic Beliefs and Prior Contact to Heterosexuals' Attitudes Toward Gay Men and Lesbian Women.

Research has examined the relation of prior contact and/or symbolic beliefs on attitudes toward homosexuals or gay men. Little research though has been conducted on attitudes toward lesbian women. We examined the simultaneous relationships of symbolic beliefs and prior contact on attitudes toward gay men and attitudes toward lesbian women. Regression analyses indicated that on their own either symbolic beliefs or prior contact were significant predictors of attitudes towards both groups. When examined together though symbolic beliefs predicted attitudes toward lesbian women whereas prior contact predicted attitudes toward gay men. Overall, participants had more contact with gay men than lesbian women. The implications of our results are discussed in terms of the contact hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The disclosure dilemma for gay men and lesbians: "Coming out" at work.

This study examined disclosing sexual orientation at work for 220 gay men and 159 lesbians. Self-acceptance, the centrality of one's identity, how "out" one is to friends and family, employer policies, and perceived employer gay-supportiveness were associated with disclosure behaviors at work for gay/lesbian employees. Disclosing at work and working for an organization perceived to be more gay supportive was related to higher job satisfaction and lower job anxiety. Reactions of coworkers to gay or lesbian workers mediated the relationship between disclosure and gay/lesbian workers' job attitudes. Implications and solutions for management are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Familial occurrence of a del(Xp-) chromosome: pitfall in karyotype/phenotype correlation

PURPOSE: To examine the attitudes of physicians practicing in New Mexico toward gay and lesbian medical students, house officers, and physician colleagues. METHOD: In May 1996, the authors mailed a questionnaire with demographic and attitude questions to 1,949 non-federally employed physicians practicing in New Mexico. The questionnaire consisted of questions dealing with medical school admission, residency training, and referrals to colleagues. The response rate was 53.6%. RESULTS: Of all the responding physicians, 4.3% would refuse medical school admission to applicants known to be gay or lesbian. Respondents were most opposed to gay and lesbian physicians' seeking residency training in obstetrics and gynecology (10.1%), and least opposed to their seeking residency training in radiology (4.3%). Disclosure of homosexual orientation would also threaten referrals to gay and lesbian obstetrician-gynecologists (11.4%) more than to gay or lesbian physicians in other specialties. CONCLUSION: Physicians' attitudes toward gay and lesbian medical students, house officers, and physician colleagues seem to have improved considerably from those reported previously in the literature. However, gay men and lesbians in medicine continue to face opposition in their medical training and in their pursuit of specialty practice.     

The strategic approach to contraceptive introduction

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual educators have faced many barriers in their professions, including harassment, discrimination, and even nationwide antigay political campaigns. Recently, lesbian, gay, and bisexual educators, particularly on college campuses, have challenged such stigmatization by coming out. Because previous research has demonstrated that interpersonal contact with lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals is related to less heterosexist attitudes, the current study investigated the impact of a gay instructor's coming out on his students' attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. Data were collected from 156 undergraduate students enrolled in an Introductory Psychology course, 40 of whom were taught by a gay instructor. Herek's (1984, 1994b) Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) scale was used to measure students' relative levels of heterosexism and was administered to students at the beginning and end of the semester. Midway through the semester, the gay instructor disclosed his gay identity to his students as part of a lesson about sexual orientation. Results from the postcourse survey indicated that students in the gay instructor's course section exhibited improved attitudes. Conversely, students enrolled in the same course in sections taught by heterosexual instructors demonstrated no change in their attitudes. Implications of these findings are discussed, and it is argued that gay instructors' coming out may positively affect their students' attitudes toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. However, these efforts by individual instructors must only be a small part of more comprehensive institutional efforts by university communities to address homophobia and heterosexism in educational settings.     

Therapists' needs for training in counseling lesbians and gay men.

A survey of 112 therapists' attitudes, knowledge, concerns, and strategies in counseling lesbians and gay men clients revealed a strong need for therapist training. Although Ss showed generally liberal attitudes toward homosexuals, they admitted a lack of knowledge concerning lesbian and gay male lifestyles. Ss' major concerns in counseling gay clients were the maintenance of objectivity, countertransference, and lack of knowledge of homosexuality. It is recommended that training in counseling lesbian/gay clients become a standard feature of accredited training programs in clinical psychology, that competence in counseling lesbian/gay clients become a prerequisite for state licensure, and that the availability of continuing education regarding therapy for lesbian/gay clients continue for practicing clinical psychologists. (62 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pioneers in Partnership: Lesbian and Gay Male Couples in Civil Unions Compared With Those Not in Civil Unions and Married Heterosexual Siblings.

This study compared 212 lesbians and 123 gay men who had civil unions in Vermont (during the first year legislation made this available) with 166 lesbians and 72 gay men in their friendship network who had not had civil unions, and also with 219 heterosexual married women and 193 heterosexual married men consisting of civil union couples' siblings and their spouses. Married heterosexual couples had been together longer and had more traditional division of labor and child care than did lesbians and gay men in both types of couples. Lesbians in civil unions were more open about their sexual orientation than those not in civil unions, and gay men in civil unions were closer to their family of origin than gay men not in civil unions. This is the first study on same-sex couples with civil unions, and the first to compare lesbians and gay men with their married siblings. At a time of legal changes for same-sex couples, these results indicate that legalized same-sex relationships are related to visibility of same-sex couples to their family and the general public. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hate crimes against lesbians and gay men: Issues for research and policy.

Antigay hate crimes (words or actions that are intended to harm or intimidate individuals because they are lesbian or gay) constitute a serious national problem. In recent surveys, as many as 92% of lesbians and gay men report that they have been the targets of antigay verbal abuse or threats, and as many as 24% report physical attacks because of their sexual orientation. Assaults may have increased in frequency during the last few years, with many incidents now including spoken references to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) by the assailants. Trends cannot be assessed, however, because most antigay hate crimes are never reported and no comprehensive national surveys of antigay victimization have been conducted. Suggestions are offered for research and policy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inclusion and belonging in the family rituals of gay and lesbian people.

Survey data collected from 400 non-metropolitan gay men and lesbians were used to examine what factors lead them to attend a family-of-origin ritual and affect their sense of belonging during the event. The present study was inspired by qualitative findings regarding the production of outsider status during rituals. Attendance and belonging were both predicted by type of ritual and the quality of relationships with families of origin. Also, partners were more likely to be invited when the couple relationship was more visible. Residential community climate, age, income, and gender were not significant. The family membership complexities of gay and lesbian people are discussed, and a more nuanced understanding of membership during ritual is encouraged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual orientation and gender as factors in socioculturally acquired vulnerability to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.

Investigated the hypothesis that gay men and heterosexual women are dissatisfied with their bodies and vulnerable to eating disorders because of a shared emphasis on physical attractiveness (PA) and thinness that is based on a desire to attract and please men. Although men place priority on PA in evaluating potential partners, women place greater emphasis on other factors, such as personality, status, power, and income. Therefore, lesbians and heterosexual men are less concerned with their own PA and, consequently, less dissatisfied with their bodies and less vulnerable to eating disorders. Several instruments measuring body satisfaction, the importance of PA, and symptoms of eating disorders were administered to 250 college students. The sample included 53 lesbians, 59 gay men, 62 heterosexual women, and 63 heterosexual men. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance were used to examine the differences among the scores of lesbians, gay men, heterosexual women, and heterosexual men on these various constructs. Results generally confirmed the research hypothesis. The implications and ramifications these findings have for the understanding of both the psychology of lesbians and gay men and the prevention and treatment of eating disorders are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Constitutional aspects of physician-assisted suicide after Lee v. Oregon

The formation of lesbian and gay identity and community in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts was greatly shaped by social changes and trends in gender ideology which originated outside the region. Safe and supportive space for the exploration of homosexual identity was limited and limiting, as gay and lesbian residents turned to homoerotic communities away from the area to try to come to terms with and act out their same-sex desires. Gay men and lesbians in the Valley began to generate self-affirming and politically oriented institutions, however, within the context of the radical political culture of the 1960s.