Suicidality patterns and sexual orientation-related factors among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths.

Three hundred fifty lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths aged 14 to 21 years were questioned about suicidal thoughts and behaviors, families' reactions to youths' sexual orientation, and suicidality among relatives and friends. Results confirmed an association between sexual orientation and suicidality. Nearly half (42%) had sometimes or often thought of suicide; one third (33%) reported at least one suicide attempt. Many related suicidal ideation and suicide attempts to their sexual orientation. Most attempts followed awareness of same-sex feelings and preceded disclosure of sexual orientation to others. One quarter said a family member had made a suicide attempt, and nearly three quarters said a close friend had attempted suicide.

Aspects of mental health among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults.

This study examined aspects of mental health among 416 lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults aged 60 to 91 years old, attending social and recreational programs. Mental health indicators were perceived mental health status; self-esteem; internalized homophobia; loneliness; alcohol and drug abuse; and suicidality. Better mental health was correlated with higher self-esteem, less loneliness, and lower internalized homophobia. Compared to women, men reported significantly more internalized homophobia, alcohol abuse, and suicidality related to their sexual orientation. Less lifetime suicidal ideation was associated with lower internalized homophobia, less loneliness, and more people knowing about participants' sexual orientation.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth and their families: disclosure of sexual orientation and its consequences.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youngsters, aged 14-21 and living at home, were studied for patterns of disclosure of sexual orientation to families. Three-quarters had told at least one parent, more often the mother than the father. Those who had disclosed were generally more open about their sexual orientation than those who had not, and few of the nondisclosed expected parental acceptance. Those who had disclosed reported verbal and physical abuse by family members, and acknowledged more suicidality than those who had not "come out" to their families.

Antecedents and consequences of victimization of lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people: a structural model comparing rural university and urban samples.

Research indicates that antigay victimization is widespread and that lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people may be very vulnerable to such victimization. The current study builds upon previous work by Hershberger and D'Augelli (1995), who studied the consequences of sexual orientation-based victimization in 194 urban lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths. Using structural equation modeling, the present study models both antecedents and consequences (including psychological distress, self-esteem, and suicidality) of victimization via a secondary analysis of their data set. In addition, a second sample of 54 lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths from a rural university setting was examined to cross-validate and generalize the relationships found in urban settings. Results indicated that a revised model of victimization exhibited sufficient fit to the urban sample data and provided preliminary support for the generalizability of the model beyond the initial sample. Additional similarities were found between the urban and rural university community samples, including a high prevalence of reported suicide attempts: 42% of the urban sample and 32% of the rural university sample had attempted suicide at least once. Results indicated that victimization based on sexual orientation has similar correlates for young people in different community settings.

A multiyear analysis of changes in AIDS concerns and homophobia on a university campus.

The authors studied changes in personal concerns and fears about AIDS and homophobia from 1985 to 1992 among four samples of heterosexual undergraduate students on a university campus. Over time, students' self-reported knowledge about AIDS increased, as did personal worry about HIV infection. Interest in attending an educational program increased initially, then leveled off, and fear of casual contact with people with AIDS decreased. The study findings showed no changes in homophobia. High fear of AIDS was associated with being less informed, having greater concern about infection, and being more homophobic.

Empowering lesbian and gay communities: a call for collaboration with community psychology.

This article traces the history of empowerment efforts in lesbian and gay communities. Despite considerable progress, lesbians and gay men remain marginalized in American society. Their personal, family, and community development is hampered by social and institutional barriers to empowerment. Three powerful disempowering problems of contemporary lesbian and gay communities are detailed: (1) stresses related to coming out; (2) heterosexism; and, (3) difficulties identifying with a community. Four domains are suggested for future collaboration between community psychologists and lesbian/gay communities: (1) anti-lesbian/anti-gay prejudice, discrimination, and violence; (2) mental health and health enhancement; (3) the HIV/AIDS epidemic; and, (4) civil rights. Future collaborations must build on successful-social change strategies already used by activists in lesbian and gay communities.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth in community settings: personal challenges and mental health problems.

Studied 194 lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth aged 21 and younger who attended programs in 14 community centers to determine the personal challenges they face due to their sexual orientation and their responses to these stresses. First awareness of sexual orientation typically occurred at age 10, but disclosure to another person did not occur until about age 16. There was much variability in sexual behavior, and many youths reported both same-sex and opposite-sex sexual experiences. Although most had told at least one family member about their sexual orientation, there remained much concern about family reactions. Suicide attempts were acknowledged by 42% of the sample. Attempters significantly differed from nonattempters on several milestones of sexual orientation development, social aspects of sexual orientation, parents' knowledge of sexual orientation, and mental health problems.

Preventing mental health problems among lesbian and gay college students.

Young adults who self-identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual experience major stresses in managing their sexual orientation. They are at risk for serious mental health problems, including suicide and depression. The mental health concerns of lesbian and gay male college students are reviewed. These problems result from the difficulties involved in developing a lesbian or gay personal identity, and are exacerbated by widespread negative attitudes, harassment, and violence directed toward lesbians and gay men on college campuses. Several systemic preventive interventions are recommended to decrease mental health problems in this population.

Sexual behavior patterns of gay university men: implications for preventing HIV infection.

Gay male university students less than 25 years old were studied to determine whether they had changed their sexual activity patterns to reduce the risk of HIV infection. Most had not established sexual behavior patterns typical of the older gay men who had been studied in earlier research. Although most of the participants surveyed were concerned about HIV infection, some did engage in risky sexual behavior. The risk-reduction strategies most often used were having fewer sexual partners and being more selective in choosing partners. Future HIV-prevention interventions must be designed to address the needs of this generation of gay men.

PIP: Compared to older cohorts of gay adults, gay males under age 25 have grown up in a society generally more tolerant of homosexuality, yet plagued with the pandemic of AIDS. While these youths may feel comparatively free to acknowledge their sexual identities both personally and publicly, one may also assume that AIDS has prompted them to engage in few high-risk sexual activities compared to older sexually active homosexuals. Most published AIDS research studies targeted to homosexual communities have explored sexual behavior in gay males aged 25-45. Concentrating upon men over 25, however, has most likely caused oversampling of men who are most open with sexuality and publicly involved in local gay communities. Older men are likely to have had comparatively more sexual partners and more frequent lifetime sexual experiences. Gay men underage 25 have been extremely undersampled. As such, virtually no AIDs prevention data are available about younger men and adolescent boys, despite mounting evidence of physical and mental health problem among gay teens. This paper examines the degree of safer sex practice and the variability of sexual behavior in 61 self-defined university gay males of average age 21 years. Study data come from responses to 200 22-page surveys distributed in fall 1989 at a large mid-Atlantic state university. Of the 32/61 who had engaged in anal sex, with an average 4 partners and 23 cumulative experiences, 1/2 reported not using a condom at least once. For the sample, 1-27 condoms were used per month. Of those reporting sex in college, 7% became celibate, 14% stopped anal intercourse, 52% decreased the number of partners, 57% were more careful in choosing partners, and 36% refused sex without condoms. Of those having more than 1 sexual partner in the previous year, 26% used condoms with all partners, while 31% did not use condoms with any partner. Only 8%, however, were untroubled by worries of HIV infection. Most respondents had no direct contact with HIV illness, but were aware of the importance of taking precautions to prevent against HIV infection. Far less risky sex was reported among these student compared to that reported by older men in earlier studies. Considerable variability was also noted in the sexual activities of respondents, with over 25% reporting no homosexual contact and 15% having heterosexual activities while in college. Among those sexually active, more had engaged in oral sex compared to anal sex with men. High condom breakage rates were also cited among this cohort. While the pattern of respondents' reported sexual activities differ from that of older studied cohorts, and most had changed behavior to help prevent against HIV infection, gay males under age 25 could certainly benefit from targeted prevention interventions. Intervention is especially called for when on considers the probability of comparatively higher proportions of risky behavior among closeted gay youths. More research is needed with larger samples of young gay men.

Teaching lesbian/gay development: from oppression to exceptionality.

Few opportunities exist for young lesbians and gay men to learn about their lives. A university course on lesbian and gay development is described and its impact on students' lives is presented. The course focuses on the exceptional talent of lesbians and gay men in creating lives in a stigmatizing culture. The course's emphasis on how individuals develop or are oppressed by their social environment produces personal change and social action in students.

The contribution of personality characteristics to the relationship between social support and perceived physical health.

Although a great deal of research has been conducted on the relationship between social support and physical health, the contribution of personality characteristics to this relationship has rarely been assessed. Structural equation modeling was employed to derive and test a model of the direct and indirect relationships between personality characteristics, social network size, the perceived availability of support, socially supportive behaviors, and perceived physical health with a sample of Pennsylvania adults. Significant paths indicate that individuals who perceive themselves as affiliative and as help seekers and help givers report larger social networks, receive more socially supportive behaviors, and perceive that more support is available to them. The perception that support is available shared a direct relationship with perceived physical health. The utility of including multiple measures of social support and personality characteristics related to receiving support in investigations of the relationship between social support and physical health is discussed.

Lesbians' and gay men's experiences of discrimination and harassment in a university community.

A survey of 125 lesbians and gay men in a university community was conducted to determine the incidence of discrimination, harassment, and violence. Nearly three fourths had experienced verbal abuse; 26% were threatened with violence; and 17% had personal property damaged. Students and roommates were most often those responsible. Most incidents were not reported to authorities, and many made changes in their daily routines to avoid harm. Over half of the sample feared for their personal safety; their fear was related to the amount of harassment and previous property damage. Men were more often victimized than women.

AIDS fears and homophobia among rural nursing personnel.

Attitudes and concerns about AIDS of 144 nursing personnel attending conferences on AIDS in rural central Pennsylvania were assessed. Participants were knowledgeable about AIDS but wished to learn more and wanted additional training. Most were moderately worried about contracting AIDS, and a sizeable percentage showed irrational fears. AIDS fears centered around fear of casual-contact transmission and transmission through intimate contact. Participants held generally negative views of gay men and lesbians, and few had personal knowledge of gay people. Homophobic attitudes correlated significantly with AIDS phobias, suggesting that feelings about gay men may influence the nature of medical care that AIDS patients who are gay might receive.

Social support and human development: issues in theory, research, and practice.

The physical and psychological correlates and consequences of social support have received much attention in the past decade. To date, however, much research on social support has not been guided by an integrated theoretical or conceptual framework. In this report, a life span developmental perspective is suggested for the study of social support. The discussion addresses numerous conceptual, theoretical, and empirical concerns related to the investigation of support. Implications for designing, implementing, and evaluating support-related interventions are highlighted.

Gay women, men, and families in rural settings: toward the development of helping communities.

The urban biases of empirical research on gay men, women, and families have resulted in minimal knowledge about gay people in rural settings. The diversity of lives of rural gay women and men and the variety of patterns of meeting the challenges of rural living are described. Processes of help-seeking and help-giving are discussed and the need for a helping community of family, friends, and caring others is affirmed. Collaboration between rural gay people and rural community psychologists is suggested to promote the development of helping communities for gay people and thereby initiate a process of change in rural settings.

Effects of a weight-control promotion program on parents' responses to family eating situations.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate an education intervention program designed to prevent weight problems in children by encouraging family changes in food selection, eating habits, and activity levels. The Preschool Eating Patterns (PEP) Program worked with parents, teaching procedures of reinforcement and extinction to encourage or discourage various practices. Thirty-six families participating in the PEP program served as the experimental group and 11 families as a comparison group. The program was evaluated by assessing parents' verbalizations and behaviors relevant to their children's eating patterns. The results suggest that the PEP program is a promising education intervention leading to more constructive parental responses to family eating situations, but further investigations are necessary to determine whether the program is truly preventive of future overweight.