Sexual harassment, sexual assault, violence, self-esteem, and the role of LGBTQ-specific parental support in a sample of Latinx sexual and gender minority youth

INTRODUCTION

Oftentimes as result of racism, cissexism, and heterosexism, many Latinx and sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence. These experiences of victimization are in part related to increased negative mental health outcomes such as decreased self-esteem. Some research links LGBTQ-specific parental support to mental health outcomes among Latinx SGM youth, yet, no research has explored the role of LGBTQ-specific parental support with self-esteem among Latinx SGM youth.

METHODS

In a sample of 1,012 Latinx SGM youth (ages 13-17), we assessed: (a) associations between sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence and self-esteem, (b) association between LGBTQ-specific parental support and self-esteem, and (c) whether LGBTQ-specific parental support moderated the relation between sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence and self-esteem. Main effect and moderation analyses examined interactions between LGBTQ-specific parental support with sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence on self-esteem.

RESULTS

Latinx SGM youth experienced low levels of LGBTQ-specific parental support and various degrees of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence. Also, transgender and nonbinary/genderqueer Latinx youth experienced lower self-esteem than their Latinx cisgender counterparts. Increased LGBTQ-specific parental support was related to increased self-esteem. We also identified a significant interaction between sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence and LGBTQ-specific parental support, such that parental support was more protective at low levels rather than high levels of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence among Latinx SGM youth.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings add to a growing body of research about the importance of LGBTQ-specific parental support for Latinx SGM youth, and the need to examine culturally appropriate approaches to understand parent-child relationship among these communities.

Latinx LGBTQ Youth, COVID-19, and Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Latinx youth report high rates of negative mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. Similarly, research with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth have documented increased negative mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the current literature has yet to systematically uncover the intersectional experiences of Latinx LGBTQ youth during this time.

METHOD

We conducted a systematic review to uncover the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ youth during the pandemic. Our systematic review resulted in 14 empirical studies that explored the challenges, stressors, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latinx LGBTQ youth.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that most studies include cisgender, gender binary, heterosexual, Latinx youth. Findings across studies include: (a) impact from school closures, (b) pandemic stressors, (c) impact from online media, (d) family and Latinx cultural values as a source of support and stress, and (e) the implementation and evaluation of interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DISCUSSION

We provide recommendations for clinicians working with Latinx LGBTQ youth including expanding their knowledge about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these communities, considering the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ youth as multifaceted, and considering the role of heterogeneity in the mental health of Latinx LGBTQ Youth.

Latinx Sexual Minority Adolescent Substance Use: State of the Science and Call for Intersectional Minority Stressors and Protective Factors

Purpose of review

Latinx sexual minority adolescents (LSMA) are at an intersection of ethnic and sexual minority (SM) status and may experience heighten risk of substance use and related problems. These youth may also hold unique protective factors that help mitigate the effects of minority stress and curb substance use. Little is known, however, about the intersectional minority stressors (i.e., due to ethnicity and SM status) and protective factors related to substance use among this population.

Recent Findings

According to the minority stress model, there are unique minority stressors and resiliency factors that can help explain differences in behavioral health rates between white SM and SM of color. Research supports the notion that minority stressors (e.g., stigma/risk, homophobic bullying, and family rejection of SM status) confer risk for substance use among LSMA. In terms of resilience, less is known, but there may be some protective factors that have not been measured that could explain lower rates in some substances (i.e., club drugs and methamphetamine).

Summary

Little is known about how the intersections of ethnicity and SM status are associated with substance use in adolescence. Future research should assess the temporal relationship of multilevel (i.e., intrapersonal, relational, and system), intersectional (i.e., ethnicity and SM status) minority stressors and protective factors unique to LSMA on substance use. We propose that the findings from these future studies will help to create socioculturally appropriate behavioral health treatments that consider the intersectional risks and strengths within the LSMA population.

A Developmental Model of the Sexual Minority Closet: Structural Sensitization, Psychological Adaptations, and Post-closet Growth

Across the lifespan, most sexual minority individuals experience the closet-a typically prolonged period in which no significant others know their sexual identity. This paper positions the closet as distinct from stigma concealment given its typical duration in years and absolute removal from sources of support for an often-central identity typically during a developmentally sensitive period. The Developmental Model of the Closet proposed here delineates the vicarious learning that takes place before sexual orientation awareness to shape one's eventual experience of the closet; the stressors that take place after one has become aware of their sexual orientation but has not yet disclosed it, which often takes place during adolescence; and potential lifespan-persistent mental health effects of the closet, as moderated by the structural, interpersonal, cultural, and temporal context of disclosure. The paper outlines the ways in which the model both draws upon and is distinct from earlier models of sexual minority identity formation and proposes several testable hypotheses and future research directions, including tests of multilevel interventions.

Intersectional microaggressions, depressive symptoms, and the role of LGBTQ-specific parental support in a sample of Latinx sexual and gender minority youth

INTRODUCTION

Latinx and sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth experience higher incidents of racism, cissexism, and heterosexism in the forms of overt discrimination and microaggressions. These experiences could in part explain increased negative mental health outcomes, such as depressive symptoms. Evidence points to the possibility that LGBTQ-specific parental support buffers the effects of intersectional microaggressions on depressive symptoms among Latinx SGM youth.

METHODS

In a sample of 1292 Latinx SGM youth (ages 13-17), we assessed: a) the association between LGBTQ-specific parental support and depressive symptoms, b) the associations between three forms of intersectional microaggressions and depressive symptoms, and c) whether parental LGBTQ-specific parental support moderated the relationship between three forms of intersectional microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Main effect and moderation analyses examined interactions between LGBTQ-specific parental support with each of the three forms of intersectional microaggressions on depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

We found that Latinx transgender youth experienced higher intersectional microaggressions compared to their cisgender counterparts and that Latinx SGM youth who reported lower LGBTQ-specific parental support experienced higher depressive symptoms. We also identified a significant interaction between intersectional microaggressions and LGBTQ-specific parental support, suggesting that parental support was more protective at low rather than high levels of intersectional microaggressions.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest a need for future work examining culturally appropriate approaches to foster a supportive parent-child relationship among Latinx SGM youth and their parental figures.

Parental Support, Depressive Symptoms, and LGBTQ Adolescents: Main and Moderation Effects in a Diverse Sample

OBJECTIVE

Research has documented the importance of parental support as a protective factor against depressive symptoms among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth. In this study, we assessed the relations between LGBTQ-specific parental support and depressive symptoms.

METHOD

Participants were 6,837 LGBTQ youth (ages 13-17) with diverse racial and ethnic, gender, and sexual identities. Main effect and moderation analyses examined interactions between LGBTQ-specific parental support with demographic variables on depressive symptoms, considering demographics as moderators.

RESULTS

We found that participants of color reported less LGBTQ-specific parental support than their White counterparts, that transgender and genderqueer participants reported less LGBTQ-specific parental support than their cisgender counterparts, and that non-monosexual participants reported less LGBTQ-specific parental support than their monosexual counterparts. Disparities in depressive symptoms were found for individuals who identified as Native American and Latinx, non-monosexual, and transgender and genderqueer, such that these groups reported higher levels of depressive symptoms. Further, we found a significant interaction between LGBTQ-specific parental support and ethnicity, with LGBTQ-specific parental support being less strongly associated with participants who identified as Latinx compared to those who did not identify as Latinx. We also found a significant interaction between LGBTQ-specific parental support and gender identity, with LGBTQ-specific parental support being more strongly related to depressive symptoms among participants who did not identify as boys compared to cisgender boys .

DISCUSSION

We discuss how to assess the impact of interlocking systems of oppression when working with LGBTQ youth and their parental figures.

LGBTQ Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research in Counseling Psychology: A Content Analysis

Given that qualitative and mixed methods have been used to address social justice issues, counseling psychologists have been drawn to these research designs to advance knowledge in the field. However, qualitative and mixed methods are rarely used in counseling psychology to examine the experiences of LGBTQ individuals. This content analysis reviewed all qualitative and mixed methods studies conducted with LGBTQ individuals between 2009 and 2019 in three leading counseling psychology journals. Results from 24 studies revealed: (a) an increase in LGBTQ-related topics; (b) an overreliance in grounded theory as a research design, diverse analytical approaches, overreliance on semi-structure interviews, and increased disclosure of reflexivity and trustworthiness; and (c) an overwhelming representation of White, cisgender, gay and lesbian, middle class, college educated, English-speaking, Christian, mainland United States residents. We pose a call to action for the next decade of qualitative and mixed methods research with LGBTQ individuals in counseling psychology.

Holistic Psychosocial Approaches in the Care of Hispanic Victims of Trauma: An Overview

The collapse of the Champlain Towers South (CTS), a condominium in Miami, Florida, left a diverse group of survivors and healthcare clinicians tasked with finding ways of coping with the disaster. Within seconds, the CTS collapse became a global tragedy due to the coastal neighborhood's rich international mix of residents. Although this tragedy impacted communities across globe, a large population of Hispanic victims lived in CTS that were deeply affected. Culturally adaptive interventions and holistic healthcare for Hispanic individuals are highly relevant because Hispanic Americans represent one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States. To reach, engage, and address the needs of Hispanic victims, this article provides an overview of psychosocial factors that influence Hispanic victims with trauma and discusses holistic psychotherapeutic approaches in nursing care that can be applied to improve victims' well-being. Culture is an important consideration in health; therefore, this article highlights and operationalizes culturally tailored holistic nursing care that draws from the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of health and well-being that can be used in clinical settings with Hispanic clients who have experienced trauma.

"My meemaw is a Cool Ass Person": Family Members as Role Models of Resilience for Sexual and Gender Diverse People of Color

The families of people of Color and indigenous people (POCI) are often analyzed as hostile institutions for sexual and gender diverse (SGD) adults. Using 58 interviews with SGD POCI from the Strengthening Colors of Pride 2018 Interview Study, we argue that Black and Latinx SGD adults gain resilience from family role models, mostly resilient mothers and othermothers. These resilient family members model three things: 1) how to overcome adversity and trauma, 2) being providers, and 3) emotional strength. This resilient modeling facilitates the adult resilience of SGD POCI who are navigating the complexity of intersections of race, sexuality, gender, poverty, and childhood trauma.