Causal Attributions and Parents’ Acceptance of Their Homosexual Sons

Abstract

This Internet-based study examined the association between Israeli parents' attributions regarding the cause of their son's homosexuality and their level of acceptance of their homosexual son. The sample (N = 57) was recruited via Internet Web sites (gay forums and support groups). Findings suggest that more essentialist (versus constructivist) causal attributions were associated with higher levels of parental acceptance. Length of time parents knew of their son's homosexual orientation predicted the degree to which their attributions were essentialist. Implications are discussed.

Predictors of attitudes toward potentially having a lesbian, gay, or bisexual child among Chinese heterosexual adults

“…Studies have found that people believing in biological causes (vs. personal choice) were more likely to support LGB rights (Lewis, 2009) and LGB individuals (Eldridge et al, 2006). The same association has been found when people evaluate an imaginary LGB child (Armesto & Weisman, 2001) and when parents evaluate their own gay son (Belsky & Diamond, 2015). These findings may be because people perceive biological causes as “normal” (Oswald et al, 2005) or as beyond the LGB child's control (Weiner, 1993).…”

“…First, this study focused on attitudes toward having an LGB child instead of toward an LGB stranger like in previous studies (e.g., Lin et al, 2016; Xie & Peng, 2018), because it may be more difficult for people to accept their own child than to accept a stranger for being LGB (Hildebrandt, 2019). Second, this study developed a theory‐driven measure to examine three domains of attitudes toward potentially having an LGB child, whereas past studies have mostly used unitary attitude measures (e.g., Belsky & Diamond, 2015; Rosenkrantz et al, 2020). Third, this study examined multiple predictors simultaneously to pinpoint the most important predictors in the Chinese context.…”

It’s not me, it’s not you, it’s us! An empirical examination of relational attributions.

“…Some research suggests that this temporal perspective might be a fruitful avenue for future inquiry as the passing of time has been shown to be related to a greater willingness to forgive (Wohl & McGrath, 2007). Specifically with regards to attributions, Belsky and Diamond (2015) showed that parents to homosexual men were more likely to perceive their son’s homosexuality as unchangeable and uncontrollable when they have known about their son’s homosexuality for a longer period of time. Future research might explore these possible temporal patterns within a work setting for both intra- and interpersonal attributions.…”

Attachment-based family therapy for lesbian and gay young adults and their persistently nonaccepting parents.

“…The more parents believe that sexual orientation is innate, the more accepting they are. The more they believe it is a choice, the less accepting they are (Belsky & Diamond, 2013). With a great deal of empathy, we ask questions of the type below:…”

“…For example, in earlier research on Israeli adolescents and young adults, 9% of mothers and 12% of fathers remained fully or almost fully rejecting a year and a half after disclosure (Samarova, Shilo, & Diamond, 2013). Persistently nonaccepting parents typically perceive their children’s same-sex orientation as a matter of choice or circumstances (Belsky & Diamond, 2013). They maintain that their children are not really gay, but have identified as such because they were seduced, sexually assaulted, had a traumatic heterosexual experience, are looking for attention, are not able to cope with the stress of heterosexual relations (i.e., “taking the easy way out”), are following current fads, are trying to get back at them (i.e., hurt the parents), and so forth.…”