Gender identity differences in the experiences of family stressors and violence among transgender and non-binary individuals in China.

Emerging research has demonstrated that transgender and non-binary (TNB) individuals face an elevated risk of experiencing family rejection and violence. However, there remains a significant knowledge gap regarding how TNB individuals manage stressors and their gender identity within the family context, particularly in regions where TNB individuals are highly stigmatized and where legal protections against family violence are lacking. The present study represents one of the first pioneering efforts to provide large-scale quantitative data examining the experiences of family stressors, the management of gender identity and expression, and family violence among TNB individuals in China. A national sample of 1063 TNB individuals in China was involved in the study. They completed questionnaires about their experiences of family stressors and violence. The results indicated that 76.0% of TNB individuals reported having encountered at least one form of violence perpetrated by their family members. Transfeminine individuals were more likely to report experiencing emotional and physical abuse, whereas transmasculine individuals were more likely to be subjected to gender identity and/or expression change efforts. Family stressors, including family non-acceptance and the pressure to marry and reproduce, were positively associated with non-disclosure of gender identity, the suppression of gender expression, and family violence. The findings underscore the substantial burden of family violence borne by TNB individuals in China, which warrants immediate legal, institutional, and social responses. Trans-inclusive family violence prevention and intervention are urgently needed, with a focus on Chinese cultural factors and gender identity differences in violence screening and risk assessment.

Differential resilience effects of everyday political engagement against heterosexist victimization among sexual minority youth: The importance of identity-based action.

Everyday forms of political engagement, such as civic participation and collective action, have been recognized as a crucial factor for positive youth development, but less is known about their resilience effects on youth from marginalized populations, especially in less democratic societies. The present study investigated experiences of everyday political engagement among sexual minority youth in China and examined their compensatory and protective effects against heterosexist victimization. A sample of 793 Chinese sexual minority youth was included in the study. The results showed that collective action operated as a protective factor in buffering the effect of heterosexist victimization, such that its association with academic engagement was not significant among those with higher levels of collective action. In contrast, civic participation served the compensatory function and was associated with greater academic engagement, a stronger sense of school belonging, and fewer depression symptoms, but it did not protect against the negative effects of heterosexist victimization. The findings highlight the importance of identity-based action among sexual minority youth and provide insight into the differential resilience effects of everyday political engagement. The study has implications for fostering resilience among sexual minority youth with victimization experiences in school and counseling settings.

Contextual Influence of School-Level Gender Role Attitudes and Sexual Prejudice on Allyship, Bullying, and Internalized Homonegativity.

Previous studies have primarily used an individual differences approach to identify dispositional factors associated with bullying behavior, which often neglect the broader school context in which bullying occurs. The present study used a multilevel research design to examine the contextual influence of school normative climate on allyship, bullying, and internalized homonegativity. The study included 3020 students (M = 15.83 years, SD = 1.50) from ten secondary schools in China. The results showed that school-level gender role attitudes were positively associated with bullying perpetration among heterosexual students as well as bullying victimization and internalized homonegativity among LGBQA+ students. In addition, there was a negative association between school-level sexual prejudice and allyship among heterosexual students. The findings demonstrate the contextual influence of school normative climate and highlight the need for regular school climate assessments, so that appropriate instructions, policies, and practices can be implemented to address gender biases and homophobia and the resulting bullying behavior.

Heterogeneity in the Desire to Undergo Various Gender-Affirming Medical Interventions Among Transgender People in Hong Kong: Findings from a Community-Driven Survey and Implications for the Legal Gender Recognition Debate.

Previous estimates suggest that there are at least nine million transgender people in Asia-Pacific; however, in most countries, legal gender recognition has not been made possible or there are otherwise stringent eligibility criteria. The obligation of having undergone gender-affirming medical interventions as a basis for such recognition is being hotly debated. However, there has been little empirical evidence on the desire to undergo various gender-affirming medical interventions among transgender people. This study fills the research gap by studying Hong Kong, where a transgender person must produce medical evidence for "complete" sex reassignment surgery in order to change the sex entry on their identity card. A community-driven survey of 234 transgender people found that only 13.0% of the participants who were assigned male at birth could fit such a requirement. Strikingly, because none of the participants assigned female at birth had undergone construction of a penis or some form of a penis, all of them would be excluded from legal gender recognition. Financial reasons and reservations about surgical risks and/or techniques were the most commonly cited reasons for not undertaking the medical interventions. The findings suggest that an overwhelming majority of transgender people in Hong Kong are excluded from legal gender recognition, which fundamentally affects their civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. More generally, this study shows heterogeneity among transgender people in the desire for different gender-affirming medical interventions, and thus argues that the legal gender recognition debate needs to consider their concerns and self-determination.

The Influence of Concerns About a Child's Sexual Orientation on Mental Health Among Parents of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Children in Hong Kong.

Sexual minority stress affects not only lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, but also their families. Due to the pervasiveness of stigma and discrimination, parents of LGB children often express concerns about the public perception of their child's sexual orientation and its possible impact on children, parents, and families. The concerns are particularly pertinent to parents in Chinese families, where there is a strong bond between parents and children. The present study seeks to understand the different dimensions of concerns among Chinese parents of LGB children and examine how these concerns affect their mental health. A total of 146 parents of LGB children in Hong Kong were recruited to participate in a survey regarding attitudes and concerns about their child's sexual orientation. The results revealed three areas of concern, which reflect parental worries about how a child's LGB identity may negatively impact the child, parent, and family. Parents who viewed homosexuality and bisexuality as innate and accepted their child's sexual orientation were likely to show fewer concerns. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that parental acceptance was negatively related to depression and anxiety symptoms through lower levels of child-oriented and family-oriented concerns. As accepting a child's sexual orientation is the key to reducing parental concerns and mental health problems, family-focused psychoeducation is needed to provide parents with accurate information about sexual orientation and foster supportive attitudes toward their LGB child. Clinicians and human service providers should also address child-oriented and family-oriented concerns among parents of LGB adolescents who are more inclined to be concerned about their child's sexual orientation.

Effects of sexual orientation concealment on well-being among sexual minorities: How and when does concealment hurt?

As a common experience for sexual minority individuals, sexual orientation concealment has complex implications. Self-determination theory (SDT) and previous studies suggest a mediation path where hiding sexual orientation is associated with well-being through eroding lesbian, gay, bisexual-specific authenticity and inducing loneliness. However, this relationship has rarely been examined using longitudinal data. This study also built on minority stress theory to determine whether the psychological process of concealment operates differently as a function of perceived acceptance in different contexts. A community sample of 636 sexual minority individuals in Hong Kong (48.3% men, 50.5% women, and 1.3% transgender and nonbinary individuals; mean age = 25.36 years) was recruited through lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) social media, nongovernmental organizations, and social venues to complete a baseline and 1-year follow-up survey. The results showed that loneliness mediated the relationship between concealment and well-being. Moreover, the mediation path from concealment to well-being via loneliness was moderated by the perceived LGBT-friendliness of the family. The negative association between concealment and well-being was only significant when the family was perceived as supportive of sexual and gender minorities. The study findings elucidated the complex mechanisms involved in the adverse outcomes of sexual orientation concealment and highlighted the importance of loneliness and family context when working with sexual minority clients on their concerns over sexual orientation concealment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Dyadic associations between COVID-19-related stress and mental well-being among parents and children in Hong Kong: An actor-partner interdependence model approach.

The spread of COVID-19 and its subsequent social distancing policies have profoundly impacted the lives of parents and children. Prolonged exposure to parenting-related responsibilities and heightened levels of family conflict under stay-at-home orders coupled with reduced access to support systems and resources have rendered parents and children more prone to stress and mental health difficulties. Drawing on a transactional model of parent-child interactions, the present study applied an actor-partner interdependence model approach to examine the transactional relationship between COVID-19-related stress and mental well-being among parents and children. Data from 109 Chinese parent-child dyads in Hong Kong were included in the study. Parents and their 8- to 10-year-old children completed a questionnaire on COVID-19-related stress, parent-child relationships, and mental well-being. The results showed that 53.2% and 30.3% of the parents and children, respectively, showed poor mental well-being, indicating possible emotional problems. Both actor and partner effects of parent COVID-19-related stress were found. Parent COVID-19-related stress was indirectly related to lower levels of parent and child mental well-being, through the mediation of parent-child conflict. To facilitate psychological adjustment following the COVID-19 outbreak, effective family-based mental health and parenting interventions are needed to promote family cohesion and alleviate stress-induced psychological symptoms. Even in the time of social distancing, telepsychotherapy and other online non-psychotherapeutic interventions can serve as a valid alternative for parents and children who experience excessive distress. Implications for psychological services, family-friendly policies, and social protection measures are also discussed.

To Have or Not to Have Sex? COVID-19 and Sexual Activity Among Chinese-Speaking Gay and Bisexual Men in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has fundamentally changed daily routine, including sexual activity. However, most research on sexual activity during the COVID-19 pandemic focused on heterosexual individuals. The only study so far on men who have sex with men was conducted in the United States. AIM: Our study expands the understanding of sexual activity during the COVID-19 pandemic by studying gay and bisexual men in Hong Kong. Although sexual desire and sexual activity continue to be important aspects of one's life during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are COVID-19-related barriers to having sex. This study therefore examined the association between sexual desire, COVID-19-related barriers, and whether to engage in sexual activity or not during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: 857 cisgender sexual minority people in Hong Kong participated in an online survey study, and for this article, only male participants were included in the analysis, yielding an analytical sample of 376 gay and bisexual men. OUTCOMES: Participants were asked to assess their sexual desire (ie, sexual drive and sexual motivation), COVID-19-related barriers (ie, perceived difficulties to have sex with another person during the pandemic and perceived risk of COVID-19 infection), and sexual activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: It was found that while sexual desire remained prevalent among the gay and bisexual men, COVID-19-related barriers were also commonly observed. Sexual drive and sexual motivation were positively associated with sexual activity. Perceived difficulties to have sex with another person during the pandemic and perceived risk of COVID-19 infection were negatively predictive of engaging in sexual activity, after controlling for general sexual desire. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Understanding the ambivalence and driving and inhibiting factors for having sex during the COVID-19 pandemic can provide a new framework for understanding people's sexual activity during an unprecedented scale of the pandemic. It is likely that abstinence would not work as the respondents expressed strong sexual desire and that the pandemic is going to last for a long time. Governments, policy makers, and sexual scientists need to work together to come up with practicable, feasible, and easy-to-follow guidelines for having sex during the pandemic. STRENGTH & LIMITATIONS: This is one of the first studies to examine the impact of COVID-19 on sexual activity among gay and bisexual men. The results should be interpreted with caution because of the use of cross-sectional design and nonprobability sampling. CONCLUSION: Sexual desire and COVID-19-related barriers serve as driving and inhibiting factors in explaining whether or not people have sex during the COVID-19 pandemic. Suen YT, Chan RCH, Wong EMY. To Have or Not to Have Sex? COVID-19 and Sexual Activity Among Chinese-Speaking Gay and Bisexual Men in Hong Kong. J Sex Med 2021;18:29-34.

Protective and Compensatory Effects of Group Identification on the Mental Health of People Living with HIV.

Despite persistent stigmatization of people living with HIV (PLHIV) across the globe, group identification among these individuals may serve to counteract the detrimental effect of prejudice and discrimination associated with the stigmatized identity. Drawing on resilience theory and social identity theory, this study examined how multiple dimensions of group identification (i.e., in-group ties, in-group affect, and centrality) function to buffer and neutralize the negative impact of HIV stigma. A total of 281 PLHIV were recruited from the only community-based public HIV clinic in Hong Kong to participate in this study. The results revealed a protective effect of in-group affect, which moderated the relationship between HIV stigma and mental health, such that HIV stigma was not associated with mental health among people with higher positive in-group affect. In addition, a positive compensatory effect of in-group ties was found in people with higher HIV identity centrality. Given the protective effect of in-group affect, it is important to re-story the lives among PLHIV by challenging their maladaptive beliefs about being PLHIV and building a positive sense of identity in their personal narratives. Community-based interventions should be provided to individuals with higher HIV identity centrality by offering peer support groups and engaging them in community work.

Interpersonal and intrapersonal manifestations of HIV stigma and their impacts on psychological distress and life satisfaction among people living with HIV: Toward a dual-process model.

PURPOSE: As HIV is one of the most stigmatizing health conditions, people living with HIV (PLHIV) continue to experience multiple forms and sources of stigmatization, which negatively impact their quality of life. The present study proposed a dual-process model to understand the different manifestations of HIV stigma and examine how they relate to each other and affect psychological distress and life satisfaction in PLHIV. METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-one PLHIV in Hong Kong participated in the study and completed a self-report questionnaire on HIV stigma, psychological distress, and life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the mechanisms underlying HIV stigma and mental health. RESULTS: Around one-third of the participants experienced HIV-related avoidance and/or discrimination in different domains of life over the past year. Enacted stigma toward PLHIV was highly pronounced in Hong Kong, especially among general healthcare providers. The results revealed the interpersonal and intrapersonal processes underlying HIV stigma and mental health. While enacted stigma had a direct effect on psychological distress and life satisfaction, PLHIV might also internalize the stigmatizing beliefs associated with HIV identity, which were related to greater psychological distress and poorer life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Stigma reduction programs that target non-HIV healthcare workers are recommended to confront their misconceptions and biases toward PLHIV. Given the high prevalence of self-stigma, psychological interventions that focus on restructuring negative beliefs about PLHIV and reconstructing a self-empowering and positive identity are necessary to promote better mental health and quality of life.

Liberating and Empowering Effects of Critical Reflection on Collective Action in LGBT and Cisgender Heterosexual Individuals.

Critical consciousness represents the transformation from a passive target of oppression to an active actor with an increased capacity to analyze and negotiate conditions of oppression. It is considered as an antidote for oppression that can liberate people from oppressive ideologies and empower them to resist social injustice. Building on the theory of critical consciousness and the Social Identity Model of Collective Action, this paper examined the liberating and empowering effects of critical reflection on collective action for minority rights. Results of a cross-sectional study in 1,050 LGBT individuals (Study 1) showed that critical reflection was associated with lower levels of internalized oppression and higher levels of collective efficacy, which in turn were associated with greater intentions to undertake collective action for LGBT rights. Findings from a prospective longitudinal study in 428 cisgender heterosexual individuals (Study 2) indicated that critical reflection was associated with lower levels of internalized domination and heightened levels of efficacious beliefs, which positively predicted actual participation in collective action at a subsequent wave. The findings supported the effects of critical reflection on collective action mobilization and offered leads for future research and praxis on how to orient different sectors of society to work toward social equity.

Brief Psychoeducation Program to Enhance Recovery Knowledge and Attitudes of Mental Health Service Providers and Users: Randomized Controlled Trials.

Recovery-oriented transformation of mental health service systems not only necessitates changes in mental health policies and practices, it also requires an adoption of recovery-oriented mindset, which includes knowledge and attitudes, among service providers. It is also important that service users are informed about the changes and can fully participate in the process. The present study developed and evaluated the efficacy of a recovery psychoeducation program in enhancing recovery-oriented knowledge and attitudes among mental health service providers and users in Hong Kong. In study 1, 111 service providers were randomly assigned to 2-day psychoeducation group or control group. Results showed that participants in psychoeducation group had significantly better recovery knowledge and more positive attitudes towards recovery after the intervention than the control counterparts. The effect of the recovery psychoeducation program on recovery attitudes was fully mediated by the improvement in recovery knowledge. In study 2, 93 people with mental illness were randomized into 2-week psychoeducation group or control group. Participants in the psychoeducation group had a significant improvement in the level of recovery-oriented knowledge immediately after the workshops, but the effect could not be sustained at follow-up. To transform into a recovery-oriented service system, having an effective program to orient service providers and users to recovery is essential. This study provided initial support to the use of a brief psychoeducational program for recovery-oriented knowledge enhancement. Given the short-term efficacy and feasibility of the interventions, service leaders and managers in different clinical and social service settings should consider implementing the programs as part of staff and users' service orientation to build a recovery-supporting workforce and empower their service users early in the recovery process.

Validation of the Recovery Assessment Scale for Chinese in recovery of mental illness in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: Given the absence of well-validated measures to measure personal recovery in the Chinese communities, this study translated the 24-item Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS-24) into Chinese, investigated its psychometric properties, and confirmed its five-factor structure, as proposed by Corrigan et al. (Schizophr Bull 30(4):1035-1041, 2004), among a sample of people in recovery of mental illness in Hong Kong. METHODS: A sample of 596 people in recovery was recruited for scale validation. The RAS-24 was translated into traditional Chinese, and its factor structure was tested by confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were used to assess the internal consistency of the Chinese version of the RAS-24 (RAS-C). Concurrent and construct validity were examined by investigating the correlation of the RAS-C with Recovery Markers Questionnaire (RMQ), Test's Life Satisfaction Scale, Self-Stigma Scale, and Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale. RESULTS: The RAS-C full scale and subscales yielded good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .73-.93). The finding supported the five-factor solution proposed by Corrigan et al. (2004), χ2(242) = 783.81, p < .001, CFI = .91, RMSEA = .06, SRMR = .05. The RAS-C has established concurrent validity with RMQ and demonstrated construct validity with life satisfaction, self-stigma, as well as symptoms and functional difficulties. CONCLUSION: The Chinese version of the RAS-24 was found to have promising psychometric properties in assessing the subjective perception of recovery among Hong Kong Chinese. The validation of RAS-C among Chinese enables its usage to gauge personal recovery outcomes among Chinese in recovery. In addition, the validated measure can contribute to the comparison of recovery across English-speaking and Chinese-speaking samples.

The mental health benefits and costs of critical consciousness: A longitudinal investigation of the co-occurring positive and negative effects of critical consciousness among sexual minorities.

Critical consciousness is a powerful tool for individuals from marginalized groups to transcend their oppressive conditions through engagement in critical reflection, motivation, and action. Nonetheless, the mental health benefits and costs of critical consciousness have received limited research attention. The present study utilized a longitudinal research design to explore the positive and negative relationships between critical consciousness and mental health among sexual minority individuals in different developmental stages. A total of 636 sexual minority individuals were involved in the baseline study and were asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire after one year. The results demonstrated a co-occurrence of positive and negative effects of critical consciousness on mental health among sexual minority individuals across time. On the one hand, critical consciousness was associated with better mental health outcomes through the mediation of internalized oppression and community connectedness. Specifically, critical consciousness was associated with reduced internalized oppression, which in turn was linked to lower levels of emotional distress. Critical consciousness was also associated with heightened levels of community connectedness, which in turn was associated with improved well-being. On the other hand, the results revealed a positive direct effect of critical consciousness on emotional distress, after controlling for internalized oppression and community connectedness. Notably, developmental stage moderated the relationship between critical consciousness and well-being. A negative association between critical consciousness and well-being was observed among sexual minority youth, whereas no such association was found among sexual minority adults. While the study highlights that critical consciousness can be a pedagogical and therapeutic tool for the liberation and empowerment of sexual minority individuals, it is equally important to acknowledge the potential risks associated with critical consciousness. Striking a balance between critical consciousness and self-care is crucial for sustaining meaningful engagement in the pursuit of social change.

Sexual Violence Victimization and Substance Use among Individuals Identifying on the Asexual Spectrum: Differences between Asexuality, Graysexuality, and Demisexuality.

Despite the growing visibility of the asexual community across the globe, little is known about how individuals on the asexual spectrum navigate their (a)sexual experiences. Asexual individuals may be highly vulnerable to sexual violence victimization due to prejudice against their lack of sexual attraction. Perpetrators may seek to pressure asexual individuals into sexual activities by invalidating their asexuality or manipulating their need for emotional intimacy. Such non-consensual sexual acts or behaviors may have a profound impact on asexual individuals. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of sexual violence victimization and its relationship with substance use among individuals identifying on the asexual spectrum. The data for this study were derived from a global sample of 8,752 individuals on the asexual spectrum from the Ace Community Survey. The results indicated that 67.4% of the participants had experienced at least one form of sexual violence victimization in their lifetime. Experiences of sexual violence were related to more frequent engagement in substance use over the past year. Additionally, the results showed that compared with asexual individuals, graysexual and demisexual individuals were more likely to experience sexual violence, which was linked to substance use. Given the widespread prevalence and detrimental effects of sexual violence victimization, it is important to integrate asexual perspectives into prevention and intervention efforts, while simultaneously raising public awareness about affirmative consent and boundaries. The study also offers significant implications for trauma-informed care, public education, and social policies that address the unique needs and experiences of this population.

Experiences of minority stress and their impact on suicidality among asexual individuals.

INTRODUCTION: While the asexual community has become increasingly visible, the pathologization and denial of asexuality remain strong, which may be linked to a higher prevalence of suicidality in this population. The present study examined experiences of minority stress and their relationship with suicidality among asexual individuals. METHODS: This study included a global sample of 12,449 individuals on the asexual spectrum. They completed an online survey assessing minority stress (including verbal aggression, victimization, and health care discrimination), impairment in different aspects of life, and suicidality. RESULTS: The results showed that 64.8 % of asexual individuals had experienced minority stress based on sexual and/or romantic orientation. Approximately 32.2 % reported suicidal ideation, 10.6 % had suicide plans, and 2.7 % had attempted suicide in the past 12 months. Suicidality was more prevalent among asexual men and non-binary individuals than among asexual women. Asexual individuals who were younger, identified as transgender, and lived in lower-income countries were more likely to report suicidality. Among the different dimensions of minority stress, victimization was most significantly associated with suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts. The positive association between minority stress and suicidality was mediated by impairment in health. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional nature of the data might prevent causal inferences from being drawn. Validated measures of asexual-specific minority stress were not available. CONCLUSION: The findings have implications for asexuality-affirming mental health practices supporting asexual individuals in coping with minority stress experiences. Public education efforts are needed to raise awareness of asexuality as a valid sexual orientation and to dispel misconceptions about asexuality.

Monosexism as an Additional Dimension of Minority Stress Affecting Mental Health among Bisexual and Pansexual Individuals in Hong Kong: The Role of Gender and Sexual Identity Integration.

Monosexism has been increasingly recognized as a minority stressor uniquely experienced by plurisexual individuals. The present study investigated the effects of monosexist discrimination on mental health and examined the moderating role of gender and sexual identity integration (i.e., negation, authenticity, and disclosure). In a sample of 314 bisexual and pansexual individuals in Hong Kong (73.9% women and 26.1% men), the results showed that monosexist discrimination was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, above and beyond heterosexist discrimination. The association between monosexist discrimination and depression symptoms was stronger among bisexual and pansexual men than women, despite there being no gender differences in vulnerability to monosexist discrimination. Moreover, sexual identity negation, authenticity, and disclosure moderated the associations of monosexist discrimination with depression and anxiety symptoms, such that the associations were not significant among those with more positive integration of sexual identity (i.e., lower levels of sexual identity negation as well as higher levels of sexual identity authenticity and disclosure). This study provides insight into the deleterious impact of monosexism and the protective role of sexual identity integration. Implications for plurisexual-affirming psychological intervention, public policy, and community practice are discussed.

Sexual orientation disparities in developmental assets among youth: The mediating role of bullying victimization.

BACKGROUND: Navigating the developmental transition from adolescence to young adulthood while simultaneously integrating the emergence of a sexual minority identity can be overwhelming for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning youth as the developmental tasks pose tremendous challenges to the cultivation of developmental assets, which are the building blocks necessary for fostering positive youth development and thriving. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to estimate the sexual orientation disparities in bullying victimization and developmental assets, investigate whether these sexual orientation differences varied by sex assigned at birth, and examine the mediating role of bullying victimization in the association between sexual orientation and developmental assets. METHODS: This study included a national sample of 3020 Chinese youth (51.5 % assigned male at birth; 48.5 % assigned female at birth) with a mean age of 15.71 years. They completed a self-report questionnaire on experiences of bullying victimization and developmental assets. RESULTS: Sexual minority and questioning youth showed significantly lower levels of developmental assets than heterosexual youth. The sexual orientation differences in developmental assets did not significantly differ by sex assigned at birth. In addition, sexual minority youth were at heightened risk of relational bullying than heterosexual youth. The results obtained from the structural equation modeling indicated that bullying victimization mediated the association of sexual orientation with developmental assets. Compared to heterosexual youth, sexual minority youth were more likely to be subjected to bullying, which was linked to lower levels of developmental assets. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows sexual orientation disparities in developmental assets among youth in China and reveals that the positive development of sexual minority youth may be hindered by their experiences of bullying victimization. The implications for positive psychological interventions and anti-bullying policies in Chinese educational settings are discussed.

Effects of identity disclosure on school victimization and long-term educational outcomes among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex students in China.

This study examined identity disclosure among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) students in China and investigated the effects of coming out on school victimization as well as current academic performance and long-term educational outcomes. The study drew on a national sample of 9260 Chinese LGBTI students (age range = 12-42 years) and 9668 LGBTI individuals who were not in education (age range = 14-85 years). The results showed that LGBTI students were more likely to come out to their fellow students (61.4%) than to their teachers (42.4%). Approximately 40.2% of LGBTI students reported having encountered victimization in school, and they also were more likely to report school dropout and lower levels of educational attainment than those who did not experience school victimization. Transgender and gender nonconforming students and intersex students were particularly vulnerable to the experiences and adverse effects of school victimization. In addition, the findings indicated that although students who came out in school were more likely to experience school victimization, identity disclosure was related to better long-term educational outcomes. This study is one of the first to document the identity disclosure, victimization experiences, and school outcomes of LGBTI students in China. The results show that identity concealment may bring short-term benefits by protecting LGBTI students from school victimization but may be harmful to them in the longer run. To foster a supportive climate and a safe school environment, it is important to enact sexual and gender diversity education, inclusive school policies, and teacher training programs at different levels of schooling.

The Pathways to Join, Engage in, and Quit Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE): A Qualitative Study of Sexual Minority Individuals who Self-Initiated SOCE in Hong Kong.

Despite the growing recognition of their harmful effects, sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) continue to be practiced in various societies. This study examines the experiences of 11 sexual minority individuals in Hong Kong who have undergone SOCE. The findings reveal the pervasive influence of deeply ingrained homonegativity values within religious, family, educational, and soiocultural contexts during LGBTQ+ individuals' formative years. These prevailing stigmas compelled them to pursue SOCE through different methods. However, these methods have been proven ineffective and psychologically harmful, leading to increased distress and internalized homonegativity. The availability of knowledge and access to affirming LGBTQ+ values within religious, community, and sociocultural spheres played a crucial role in helping the respondents come to accept their sexual orientation and cease their attempts at SOCE. This study shed light on how the interplay of Chinese familial values and Christian doctrine in Hong Kong contributes to the promotion of homonegativity, consequently restricting the diverse expressions of sexuality. It is important to recognize that the notion of individuals actively "choosing" to undergo SOCE is misguided, as these decisions are often driven by social stigma and external pressures. Progress in this area requires confronting the systemic heteronormativity embedded within Hong Kong's cultural fabric.