Sexuality Article Review
Title: Sexuality Related Social Support Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youth.
Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2010, volume 39, number 10, pages 1134-1147
Authors: Nathan Daniel Doty, Brian L. B. Willoughby, Kristin M. Lindahl and Neena M. Malik
APA Style citation: Doty, N. D., Willoughby, B. B., Lindahl, K. M., & Malik, N. M. (2010). Sexuality Related Social Support Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(10), 1134-1147.
- The study was concerned with finding out the levels of support given to lesbian, gay and (LGB) bisexual young people by their family, heterosexual friends, and fellow LGB friends. The first hypothesis was that the family and heterosexual friends offered more help for non-sexuality related problems than they did for sexuality-related problems. This was followed by the hypothesis that sexual minority friends (LGB) provided comparable levels support for sexuality-related and non-sexuality related problems. Moreover, it was hypothesized that sexual minority friends offered higher levels of support for sexuality-related problems compared to other friends and family outside that group. The support for the issues that have to do with sexuality was expected by the researchers to differ from the support needed for other adolescent stressors. The secondary aim of the study was to find and examine the psychological distress among LGB youth and how sexuality support tackled it.
- The researcher recruited one hundred LGB individuals that were between the ages 14 and 21. They were required to fill in a background questionnaire that touched on the assessing variables that included age, ethnicity, education, the sexual orientation of the parents, the biological family status, income and the disclosure status. The participants were also required to state their relationship status. Next, the LGB young adult participants were to provide information on the Measure of Gay Stress (MOGS). They were they to use the Emotional Symptoms Index to express their emotional distress and for behavior assessment by the researchers. Afterward, the participants were required to state the sexuality-related and non-sexuality related support that they had or were receiving.
- The results suggested that the LGB young adults were in need of support for sexuality-related stressors. This would, in turn, determine their wellbeing. However, this support is in dire lack in their immediate environment. However, support for non-sexuality related stressors is readily available for the LGB young adults. Their family and heterosexual friends provided support for non-sexuality related problems, but they also were not able to offer the much-needed support for sexuality-related problems. This is compounded by the fact that in that age, it is challenging to come across a sexual minority friend who has openly embraced their sexuality.
- The implications of this study are that the LGB young adults are not receiving the social support they need for sexuality-related stressors. This is likely to have a negative impact on their mental health and development. Future research is recommended by the researchers which would focus on the effects of sexuality-related support for the LGB youth from their families on their mental health and social development. Future research is also suggested to expound on the role played by various forms and types of supportive behaviors on the wellbeing of the LGB young persons. Further research using larger sample sizes is suggested, with outcomes such as risky sexual behaviors, depression, anxiety, suicidality faced by LGB youth. This is because they face significantly higher stressors due to their sexuality and the fact that they are also in adolescence.