Summary

This Family Acceptance Project study surveyed 245 LGBT young adults in California, asking them to recall how accepting their parents had been of their sexuality and gender expression when they were teenagers. Those who remembered more accepting parents reported better self-esteem, support and general health, and less depression, drug and alcohol problems and suicidal thinking and attempts. For example, 31% of the high-acceptance group had ever attempted suicide versus 57% of the low-acceptance group. The authors concluded that family acceptance protects LGBT youth and called for family programs. But the survey was done once and relies on adults' memories, so it cannot show that acceptance caused better health. Only about 22 people were trans, too few to say much about accepting a trans identity.

Key findings

• 21～25歳のLGBTの若い成人245人（ラテン系と白人が半々）が、サンフランシスコ・ベイエリア地域の249のLGBTの会場、バー、クラブで見つかりました。
• トランスと自認したのは約9%（約22人）だけで、大半はゲイまたはレズビアンでした（70%）。
• 家族の受け入れは、成人に10代の頃を思い出してもらい、著者ら自身の53人のLGBTの10代とその家族への聞き取りに基づく55の質問を用いて測定されました。
• 受け入れが高かったと思い出した人は、低かったと思い出した人の約半分のうつ病のスコアで、過去6か月の自殺念慮も少なくなっていました（19%対38%）。
• 受け入れが高いグループの31%は自殺を図ったことがあり、低いグループでは57%でした。受け入れが低いことは、自殺念慮と自殺未遂のオッズが3倍を超えることと関連していました。
• 家族の受け入れは、危険な性的行動とは関連していませんでした。
• ラテン系、移民、宗教的、低所得の家族は、平均して、受け入れが低いと評価されました。

Abstract

ISSUE: The role of family acceptance as a protective factor for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adolescents and young adults has not been established. METHODS: A quantitative measure with items derived from prior qualitative work retrospectively assessed family accepting behaviors in response to LGBT adolescents' sexual orientation and gender expression and their relationship to mental health, substance abuse, and sexual risk in young adults (N= 245). FINDINGS: Family acceptance predicts greater self-esteem, social support, and general health status; it also protects against depression, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation and behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Family acceptance of LGBT adolescents is associated with positive young adult mental and physical health. Interventions that promote parental and caregiver acceptance of LGBT adolescents are needed to reduce health disparities.

Conclusion

Family acceptance of LGBT adolescents is associated with positive young adult mental and physical health. Interventions that promote parental and caregiver acceptance of LGBT adolescents are needed to reduce health disparities. The authors describe the protective influence of specific family accepting behaviours as 'lasting' and 'dramatically protective', and recommend that nurses assess family reactions, educate parents and promote supportive behaviours such as supporting a child's gender expression.