Homophobic Victimization and Psychosocial Adjustment Problems among Youth of Lesbian and Gay Parents

Abstract

The associations between psychosocial adjustment problems of 97 adolescents and emerging adults of lesbian and gay parents and their experiences of homophobic victimization were examined. Their psychosocial problems were also compared to their peers from a large-scale representative survey (n = 6,531). Self-report measures were used. Significant differences between the two groups were found with youth of lesbian and gay parents reporting more psychological distress and hard drugs use but less suicidal ideation. There were significant correlations between psychosocial problems and homophobic victimization. Despite a more positive climate toward sexual minorities, youth from lesbian and gay parent families are still exposed to risk factors that may impact their psychological well-being. The practical implications of our findings are discussed.

Keywords:

• homophobia
• victimization
• adolescence
• lesbian mothers
• gay fathers

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the participants in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The QYRRS was funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (103944) to Martine Hébert and co-researchers, Department of sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal.

Additional information

Funding

Part of this research was supported by a grant awarded to Martine Hébert and co-researchers from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (103944) and a PhD fellowship to the first author from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC).