Ecological transition: Using Bronfenbrenner's model to study sexual identity change

Abstract

Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological transition model provides a framework to study coming out in lesbians. The model takes into account activities such as sexual behavior, perceptions of the behavior, and social context in which behavior takes place. The importance of context makes this model useful in identifying possible connections between sexual identity alterations and larger social forces. Interventions based on this framework can reduce stress and promote health during coming out.

Transitions: A Central Concept in Nursing

“…People undergoing transition may or may not know what to expect and their expectations may or may not be realistic (Kane, 1992;Kenner & Lott, 1990;Rice, 1988). When one knows what to expect, the stress associated with transition may be somewhat alleviated (Hollander & Haber, 1992).…”

“…Social support from family members, partners, and friends has received a great deal of attention (Battles, 1988;Frank, 1991;Henderson, 1989;Hollander & Haber, 1992;Kenner & Lott, 1990;Majewski, 1987). Support from nurses (Pridham et al, 1991;Wong, 1991) and therapeutic groups (Robinson & Pinkney, 1992;Staples & Schwartz, 1990) also was identified as important.…”

“…Clearly, nurses are concerned with the effect of environment on transitions at many levels. Hollander and Haber (1992) used Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to conceptualize multiple levels of environment and showed how each level influences individual transitions. In the specific transition they addressed, the coming out process experienced by gay and lesbian persons, they noted that there is an ecological as well as identity transition.…”

Outside the LGBTQ “Safety Zone”: Lesbian and Bisexual Women Negotiate Sexual Identity across Multiple Ecological Contexts

“…Overall, women described a variety of settings that ranged from interpersonal relationships to more diffuse, distal contexts that promote or prohibit acceptance of sexual minorities. These findings underscore the importance of understanding how sexual minorities are embedded in complex ecologies that include micro-and macrolevel influences (Hollander & Haber, 1993). As we expected, the majority of women's descriptions of positive settings did not emphasize shared sexualities; only a small group of women described feeling most positive in LGBTQ relationships, venues, and events (e.g., LGBTQ settings).…”

Synergy towards health: a nursing intervention model for women living with fibromyalgia, and their spouses

“…This framework has been used in health and empowerment researches (Dunst et al . 1992, Hollander & Haber 1992, Lee 1995, Spencer et al . 1997).…”