Resilience in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals

Abstract

To promote psychological health among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, more comprehensive research on resilience factors in LGB individuals is needed. This article presents a theoretical framework based on the existing literature, with an eye toward guiding future research in this area. Social support clearly serves as a resilience factor for LGB individuals, in part through its ability to lower reactivity to prejudice. Social support is particularly effective when it specifically supports people's sexual orientation and is congruent with individuals' developmental needs. The ability to accept emotions and to process them in an insightful manner also buffers the negative impact of prejudice. In addition, hope and optimism allow LGB individuals to maintain psychological health when faced with prejudice.

Resilience in LGB Youths: A Systematic Review of Protection Mechanisms

“…Due to their risk exposure, LGB tend to display a more weakening pattern than heterosexuals in variables like hope, self-esteem, emotional regulation, social isolation and substance abuse (Hatzenbuehler, 2009). As regards the mechanisms that seem to favor the resilience process in LGB, the literature highlights the coping strategies used, the perceived social support, the valuation of the LGB identity (Meyer, 2003), emotional openness and an optimistic perspective towards the future (Kwon, 2013). At the relational level, the importance of positive and non-conflicting relationships was also observed, as well as the perceived acceptance in the family and school contexts (D'Augelli, 2002;Ryan, Russell, Huebner, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2010;Saewyc, 2011;Ueno, 2005).…”

Profiles of Resilience and Psychosocial Outcomes among Young Black Gay and Bisexual Men

“…A more recently conducted study exploring hardiness among young adults also found support for the main effect and interaction models in the role of hardiness in reducing the impact of stressful life events on psychological distress (Beasley et al, 2003). Kwon (2013) has suggested that hardiness and adaptive coping behaviors may be particularly important resilience factors for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals because these factors may reduce reactivity to prejudice and prepare LGB persons to cope with minority stress. Taken together, hardiness/adaptive coping may be an important asset that, like self-efficacy, plays compensatory and protective roles in reducing poor psychosocial outcomes among YBGBM.…”

“…While studies of youth of color have not shown peer or friend social support to be a significant resilience factor in compensatory or protective models (O'Donnell et al, 2004;Zimmerman et al, 2000), research conducted with LGB individuals suggests that peer support may be a critically important protective factor in managing minority stress related to sexual identity (Choi, Han, Paul & Ayala, 2011;Herrick, Stall, Goldhammer et al, 2013;Kwon, 2013;Riggle, Whitman, Olson, Rostosky & Strong, 2008). Moreover, several studies suggest that support received from various sources may play a critical role in promoting positive health outcomes among YBGBM.…”

Listen carefully: transgender voices in the workplace

“…However, gender identity and sexual orientation remain discrete constructs and can result in different issues. For instance, transgender individuals who choose to undergo gender affirmation encounter unique social, physical, and psychological challenges that are not experienced by their gay, lesbian, and bisexual counterparts (Kwon, 2013;Pepper & Lorah, 2008). General attitudes toward transgender individuals are often much more hostile than those toward gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals, and can therefore exert more several personal and professional consequences (Human Rights Campaign, 2009;Kwon, 2013;Ozturk, 2011).…”