Professional organizations mandate that effective counseling be provided t o lesbian, gay male, and bisexual male and female (LGB) clients.This article presents the characteristics, challenges, and needs of sexual minorities. along with therapeutic strategies that practitioners may use in facilitating a positive self-image among the lesbians, gay men, and bisexual men and women whom they counsel.

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Through multiple logistic regression modeling, this article explores the relative importance of risk and protective factors associated with learning disabilities (LD). A representative national sample of 6- to 17-year-old students (N = 1,268) was drawn by random stratification and classified by the presence versus absence of LD in reading, spelling, and mathematics according to ability-achievement discrepancies or low achievement levels. The dichotomous classifications were regressed on sets of explanatory variables indicating potential biological, social-environmental, and cognitive factors, problem behavior, and classroom learning behavior. Modeling revealed patterns of high risk for male students and students evincing verbal and nonverbal ability problems and processing speed problems. It was shown that, absent controls for cognitive abilities (such as provided by the ability-achievement discrepancy definition), definitions keyed to low achievement will substantially overidentify ethnic minority and disadvantaged students and will be confounded by significantly higher proportions of students who display oppositional and aggressive behavior problems. Alternatively, good learning behaviors uniformly provide substantial reduction in the risk for LD.

Perspectives on cross-generational friendships with older lesbians were explored using informal group interviews with two groups of young sexual minority women (N = 16), ages 15 to 25. A majority of the participants were women of color; all were regular members of weekly discussion groups at two lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered centers on the East Coast. About half of the young women were interested in having friendships with older lesbians, citing the importance of such relationships for helping younger women cope with coming out, providing a sense of community, and serving as role models and mentors. Others were less interested in becoming friends with older lesbians, citing the generation gap as being an insurmountable obstacle. The participants also perceived that many older lesbians were not interested in cross-generational friendships. Ways to create opportunities for forming cross-generational friendships were identified.