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
- 245 名 21 至 25 歲的 LGBT 年輕成人，拉丁裔和白人各半，是在舊金山灣區的 249 個 LGBT 場所、酒吧和夜店找到的。
- 只有約 9%（約 22 人）認同為跨性別；多數是男同志或女同志（70%）。
- 家庭接納度是請成人回憶青少年時期來衡量，使用 55 個問題，這些問題是根據作者自己對 53 名 LGBT 青少年及其家庭的訪談編制的。
- 回憶高度接納者的憂鬱分數約為回憶低度接納者的一半，過去六個月的自殺想法也較少（19% 對 38%）。
- 高度接納組有 31% 曾企圖自殺，低度接納組為 57%；低度接納與自殺想法和自殺未遂超過 3 倍的機率有關。
- 家庭接納度與危險的性行為沒有關聯。
- 拉丁裔、移民、有宗教信仰和較低收入的家庭，平均而言被評為較不接納。
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.