Autonomy-supportive parenting as a moderator of associations between ethnic and racial identity processes and psychological adjustment during college.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to test the roles of ethnic and racial identity (ERI) processes and autonomy-supportive parenting on college students' psychological adjustment. METHOD: American college students of color (N = 505) completed questionnaires assessing ERI exploration and commitment, autonomy-supportive parenting, and psychological adjustment (self-esteem, depressive symptoms). Key variables were operationalized as latent constructs, and main and interaction effects were tested using the latent moderated structural equation modeling approach. RESULTS: Higher levels of ERI commitment (but not exploration) and parental autonomy support each uniquely predicted higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of depressive symptoms. Parental autonomy support moderated associations between ERI processes and psychological adjustment, and the nature of moderation did not differ across Black and Latino/a/x students. CONCLUSIONS: Supporting the psychological adjustment of college students of color necessitates acknowledging the importance of both parental and institutional efforts to encourage students' autonomy strivings and ERI processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Unaccompanied unstable housing among racially, ethnically, sexually, and gender diverse youth: Intersecting identities bearing the greatest burden.

Disparities in youth homelessness by racial/ethnic, sexual, and gender identities are well documented, though this literature lacks specificity regarding intersectional social identities of youth who are most likely to experience homelessness. Population-based cross-sectional data on youth from the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey (N = 80,456) were used to examine the relationship between parent caring and intersections of minoritized identities that experience the highest prevalence of two distinct types of unaccompanied unstable housing with expanded categories of sexual and gender identities. Exhaustive chi-square automatic interaction detection models revealed that low parent caring was the most common predictor of unaccompanied homelessness and running away, but there was important variation among youth of color at the intersection of sexual and gender identities. The findings reveal a more complex story of disparities in unaccompanied unstable housing among youth with multiple marginalized social identities and highlight the need to create culturally informed prevention and intervention strategies for parents of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) youth of color. The implications for prevention and intervention among subgroups with the highest prevalence are discussed in the context of interlocking systems of power and oppression. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Sexual minority youth in romantic relationships: Associations with youth well-being.

This study investigated differences in depressive symptoms, loneliness, and self-esteem for monosexual (lesbian, gay) and plurisexual (bisexual, pansexual, queer) sexual minority youth (SMY) by relationship status (single, partnered) and relationship configuration (same-gender partner, different-gender partner). Participants included 338 SMY (Mage = 19.10 years) who reported on their relationship status, partner's gender identity, well-being, and ability to confide in partner about LGBTQ issues. Results indicated that for plurisexual youth, single status was associated with greater loneliness; plurisexual youth with same-gender partners reported fewer depressive symptoms and marginally greater ability to confide in their partner about LGBTQ issues than those with different-gender partners. Findings reveal similarities across SMY while also highlighting some unique challenges among plurisexual youth with different-gender partners.

Bias-Based Bullying and Elevated Depressive Symptoms Among Sexual and Gender-Diverse Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Adolescents.

This cross-sectional study analyzes data from 2 statewide school surveys to document the experiences of sexual and gender minoritized Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students in grades 9 through 12 who reported bullying related to their identity.

Examination of the "model minority" stereotype through ethnicity and sexual orientation heterogeneity among Asian American youth.

INTRODUCTION: The "model minority" stereotype disguises heterogeneity among Asian American youth, many of whom are harmed by policies and attitudes that assume this population to be uniformly high achieving and "problem free." The current study uses an intersectional lens to disaggregate this population by ethnicity and sexual orientation subgroups to demonstrate differences in academic performance and substance use behavior among Asian American youth. This study also investigates the extent to which racial/ethnicity and sexual orientation-based bullying may explain such links. METHODS: Participants included 65,091 Asian American youth (46.41% Southeast Asian; 37.01% East Asian; 16.58% South Asian) in grades 6-12, who were part of the California Healthy Kids Survey (2015-2017). Participants were 49.4% female and about a third each were in grades 6-8, grades 9-10, and grades 11-12. School-based surveys were administered. Youth reported on substance use, grades, and bias-based bullying experiences in the past 12 months. RESULTS: Generalized linear mixed-effects model results showed that outcomes varied widely across youth ethnicity and sexual orientation subgroups. Inclusion of racial/ethnic and sexual orientation bullying in these models attenuated the direct effects between ethnic and sexual identities and academic performance and substance use outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Implications of this work suggest that research and policy should not treat Asian American students as uniformly high-performing and low-risk, because the experiences of those who deviate from these assumptions will be left undetected. Interventions targeting bias-based bullying may be able to reduce disparities in academic and substance use outcomes among Asian American youth.

A latent profile analysis of perceived family reactions to youth LGBTQ identity.

Family members' reactions to youth identity disclosure are important predictors of well-being for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth. To better understand potential variation within and across families' current reactions, this study established latent profiles of family level reaction patterns and examined predictors and outcomes associated with these patterns. In 2011-2012, LGBTQ youth (N = 447, Mage = 18.8) rated their mother's, father's, brother's, and sister's reactions to their LGBTQ identity and reported their own depressive symptoms and self-esteem. Latent profile analysis tested patterns of family members' reactions. Most participants reported either moderately positive reactions (49.2%) or very positive reactions (34.0%) from all family members, though 16.8% of youth reported negative reactions from all family members. Youth social positions and demographic factors predicted profile membership: transgender youth, youth-assigned male at birth, older age at first disclosure predicted membership in the negative family reaction profile, whereas gay youth, having a parent and/or sibling with an LGBTQ identity, coresidence with either mothers, fathers, or siblings, and more years since first disclosure predicted membership in the very positive family reaction profile. Multiracial youth and younger youth were more likely to be in the moderately positive family reaction profile. Youth in families characterized by negative reactions had higher depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem compared to those who reported moderately positive or very positive reactions. Findings underscore the interconnectedness of family members' reactions and suggest that interventions for LGBTQ youth with rejecting and/or less accepting family members may need to target the entire family system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Financial, resource, and psychological impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. College students: Who is impacted and what are the implications for adjustment and well-being?

The COVID-19 pandemic has been highly disruptive for college students and has altered their living, learning, and working environments. COVID-19-related financial impact, access to needed resources, and psychological impacts are reported amongst college students, though research has yet to examine how severity and type of impact varies by student. This study investigated how undergraduate college students were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding finances, access to needed resources, and psychological well-being, and explored outcomes associated with patterns of perceived impact. Participants were 894 college students at a southeastern university who completed an online survey during the Spring 2021 semester. Students reported on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their finances, resources, and psychological health; students also reported their current self-esteem, and adjustment to college (academic and relational). Latent profile analysis was utilized to develop profiles of COVID-19-related impact. Results indicated that most participants experienced moderate levels of financial and psychological impact but low resource impact (34.6%) or experienced low impact across the range of financial, resource, and psychological domains (32.5%). Seventeen percent were highly impacted across all domains and 15.8% experienced moderate financial and resource impact but low psychological impact. Student gender identity, generational status, and first-year status were significant predictors of profile membership - student race was not associated with profile membership. Highly impacted students had significantly lower self-esteem and college adjustment compared to students in relatively less-impacted profiles.

Perceived parental social support and psychological control predict depressive symptoms for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning youth in the United States.

Salient practices in the parenting literature-support and control-have seldom been applied to understanding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth mental health. We examine associations among perceived parental social support, psychological control, and depressive symptoms for LGBTQ youth in the United States (n = 536; Mage  = 18.98; 48.1% women; 25.2% Black or African American; 37.1% Hispanic or Latino/a/x). Data were collected in 2011-2012. Results indicated joint effects of social support and psychological control predicting youth depressive symptoms. Multiple group analysis yielded a significant interaction of parenting practices for youth whose parent(s) did not know their LGBTQ identity. Findings support further consideration of parental support and control in relation to LGBTQ youth well-being.

Adolescent substance use at the intersections of foster care, sexual orientation and gender identity, racial/ethnic identity, and sex assigned at birth.

BACKGROUND: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth are overrepresented in foster care and report greater substance use during adolescence. OBJECTIVE: Using an intersectional lens, the current study investigates differences in foster care placement and variation in substance use at the intersections of foster care and sexual orientation, gender identity, racial/ethnic identities, and sex assigned at birth. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS: A sample of 121,910 LGBTQ youth (grades 6-12) completed either the Minnesota Student Survey in 2019, the California Healthy Kids Survey from 2017 to 2019, or the 2017 LGBTQ National Teen Study. METHODS: Youth reported their substance use in the past 30 days (alcohol, binge drinking, cigarette, marijuana), social positions (sexual orientation, gender identity, racial/ethnic identities, sex assigned at birth), living arrangement (foster care or not), and grade in school. Logistic regression was used to examine the main and interaction effects of foster care and social positions on youth substance use. RESULTS: Results indicated significant differences in substance use at the intersection of foster care placement and youth social positions. Significant two-way interactions for foster care placement and social positions emerged predicting alcohol, binge drinking, and marijuana use. CONCLUSIONS: Findings show that LGBTQ youth in foster care are at higher risk for substance use than those not in foster care. Particular support is needed for lesbian, gay, and questioning youth, transgender youth, LGBTQ youth assigned male at birth, and Asian or Pacific Islander LGBTQ youth in foster care.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on first-year college students: Racial/ethnic differences.

Prior research has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted American college students; however, few studies have focused on first-year students and their experiences with attending college during unprecedented circumstances. To address this gap, first-year college students (N = 268) completed online questionnaires assessing their perceptions of the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted them in terms of access to resources and psychological well-being. Students also completed a measure of college-specific adjustment in the relational, psychological, and educational domains. Greater perceived COVID-19-specific resources impact was associated with lower educational adjustment. Greater perceived COVID-19-specific psychological impact was associated with lower levels of relational college adjustment and lower levels of psychological college adjustment. A multi-group analysis indicated that although the association between perceived psychological impact and college-specific psychological adjustment was significant for both White students and Black students, it was stronger among White students.

Parental Self-Efficacy and Physiological Responses to Stress among Mothers of Early Adolescents.

Little research addresses how parental self-efficacy is related to stress responses, and no research does so among parents of early adolescents. To fill this research gap, the current study examined the association between maternal self-efficacy and physiological stress responses during early adolescence. Participants were 68 mother-early adolescent dyads with youth in the 6th grade (M = 11 years; 56% female). Physiological responses (i.e., skin conductance, respiratory sinus arrythmia, cortisol) were measured before and after mothers observed their children engage in a modified Trier Social Stress Test for Children. Mothers reported on parental self-efficacy. Mothers with higher parental self-efficacy exhibited a more moderate skin conductance response to the speech portion of the task, and a smaller increase in cortisol, compared to mothers with lower parental self-efficacy. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia change was not related to parental self-efficacy. The findings are consistent with a "caring but confident" physiological profile among mothers with high parental self-efficacy, suggesting that greater confidence about parental influence might reduce parents' experience of stress/anxiety as they observe children face certain challenges.

The Significance of Parenting and Parent-Child Relationships for Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents.

Adolescents in 21st century America are experiencing the emergence of their sexual and gender identities in a heteronormative society that is steadily adopting more progressive views and policies related to sexual orientation and gender. However, despite these sociocultural changes, parent-child relationships remain as one of the strongest predictors of LGBT adolescent adjustment. This article reviews the extant literature on this topic from family systems and attachment perspectives while highlighting the significance of family experiences within a minority stress framework. The presentation is oriented around the coming out process, including factors influencing this experience and how postdisclosure parenting affects the health and well-being of LGBT adolescents. We end by discussing future directions and the challenges inherent to this research.