Minority Stress and Positive Identity Aspects in Members of LGBTQ+ Parent Families: Literature Review and a Study Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Evidence Synthesis

Abstract

Background: Parents and children in LGBTQ+ parent families face unique stressors (i.e., minority stress), but also possess unique resources (i.e., positive identity aspects) related to their family identity. Empirical evidence and theory suggest that these minority stressors and positive identity aspects are situated on the individual, couple, and family level and may be associated with key outcomes, including parent and child health, family functioning, and school-related outcomes. A systematic evidence synthesis and a theoretical placement are currently lacking. The aims of the systematic review outlined in this protocol are thus to (1) map minority stressors and positive identity aspects according to multiple levels in the family system, and (2) to synthesize evidence on their associations with key outcomes. Methods: We will conduct a PRISMA-conform mixed-methods systematic review. Studies will be retrieved using a multi-tiered search strategy, including database searches (PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science), cited literature searches, authors’ publication lists, and study requests. The mixed-methods synthesis will follow a parallel-results convergent synthesis design, where quantitative results will be synthesized via meta-analysis and qualitative results via thematic synthesis. Conclusions: Our proposed systematic review may add to the theoretical understanding of LGBTQ+ parent family functioning and advance social inclusion of LGBTQ+ parent families.

Cherished families, unspoken truths: Navigating hidden and challenging family experiences while growing up with LGBTQ parents

“…This echoes and extends other work showing that individuals from minoritized backgrounds may consider the potential impacts on family (e.g., scrutiny, shame) in deciding whether to disclose stigmatizing information (e.g., as in the case of Latinx women disclosing a history of childhood sexual abuse by family members; Castaneda, 2021). Further, even when participants noted complex feelings about their childhoods or parents, they embraced their parents and cherished the advantages that growing up with queer parents had bestowed on them, underscoring the power of queer family resilience (Farr et al, 2022; Siegel et al, 2022). In our view, the participants held the “both/and” of their experience, acknowledging the challenges associated with growing up with LGBTQ parents who were sometimes dealing with mental health and other issues, while also voicing gratitude for them and compassion for their struggles.…”

“…They are vulnerable to social stigma related to their parents' sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as their family structure (e.g., formed via adoption or reproductive technologies, and/or characterized by the absence of a father or a mother). Depending on the degree to which their immediate and broader social environment is accepting versus rejecting of LGBTQ people, as well as their parents' own level of self‐acceptance and outness, they may be at risk for internalizing this social stigma (Fairtlough, 2008; Garner, 2004; Goldberg, 2007a; Robitaille & Saint‐Jacques, 2009; Siegel et al, 2022).…”

“…Parents may seek to cultivate a sense of family pride and positive family identity that can help mitigate the effects of negative societal messaging about LGBTQ families on children's sense of self (Ollen & Goldberg, 2015). In navigating challenging family experiences and the complexities of privacy regulation, those with LGBTQ parents may also possess unique strengths (e.g., family pride) that function as key sources of resilience (Farr et al, 2022; Siegel et al, 2022).…”

Exposure to minority stress and structural stigma predict well-being in LGBTQ+ parents across 19 European countries: An intersectional, machine learning-based approach

“…Burgeoning evidence and theory have documented the implications of parental well-being for interparental relationships, family functioning, parenting, and child adjustment (e.g., Feinberg, 2003;Goodman, 2020;van Santvoort et al, 2015). Theory-guided research on the well-being of LGBTQ+ parents specifically must also consider the implications of their experiences as minoritized individuals within minoritized relationships (Hammack et al, 2019;LeBlanc et al, 2015) and minoritized families (Fish & Russell, 2018;Siegel, Legler, et al, 2022). Critically, comparative investigations necessarily compared processes that are similar across heterosexual cisgender and LGBTQ+ parent family contexts, thus LGBTQ+ minorityspecific processes and experiences may have often been overlooked (Farr et al, 2022).…”

Long-Term Effects of Family Resilience on the Subjective Well-Being of Offspring in the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study

“…For mental health professionals working with families who are confronted with homophobic stigmatization, it is important to understand why some offspring in SMP families are resilient in the face of family stressors, while others are not [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Cross-sectional studies carried out in the U.S. and the Netherlands found that attending schools with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender curricula, having lesbian parents who participated in the lesbian community, and having frequent contact with other offspring of SMPs protected children against the negative influences of stigmatization [ 11 , 20 , 28 , 29 ].…”