The Empirical Basis for the Demise of the Illness Model of Homosexuality

Gonsiorek, John C.

doi:10.4135/9781483325422.n8

Cited by 109 publications

(81 citation statements)

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“…The first major result was that lesbian mothers in this sample reported few symptoms, and good overall mental health. Consistent with the considerable literature on mental health of lesbian women (Gonsiorek, 1991), results showed that both maternal self-esteem and maternal reports of symptoms were in the normal range of scores expected for women in this age range (Derogatis, 1983;Rosenberg, 1979). While consistent with reports about mental health of divorced lesbian mothers that comprise the existing literature (Patterson, 1997), these results are the first to focus on mental health among women who have chosen motherhood after assuming lesbian identities.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…Consistent with expectations (Falk, 1989;Gonsiorek, 1991;Patterson, 1992Patterson, , 1997, scores for both maternal and child adjustment fell within the normal range. Although neither mothers nor children living in one-parent households differed in their overall adjustment from those living in two-parent households, there were con-sistent associations between variations in maternal mental health and those in child adjustment.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Research has generally failed to reveal adjustment differences between lesbian and heterosexual samples of women, and both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association have long rejected the notion that homosexuality per se represents any form of illness or disorder (Gonsiorek, 1991). Also, previous research based on the present sample of families (Patterson, 1994) revealed that children's overall development was proceeding normally.…”

mentioning

confidence: 69%

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Families of the Lesbian baby boom: Maternal mental health and child adjustment

Patterson¹

2001

WGLM

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

mentioning

confidence: 69%

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Families of the Lesbian baby boom: Maternal mental health and child adjustment

Patterson¹

2001

WGLM

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“…Thus, most reviewers have concluded that research evidence has conclusively shown that homosexuals did not have abnormally elevated psychiatric symptomatology compared with heterosexuals (see Marmor, 1980). This conclusion has been widely accepted and has been often restated in most current psychological and psychiatric literature (Cabaj & Stein, 1996;Gonsiorek, 1991).More recently, there has been a shift in the popular and scientific discourse on the mental health of lesbians and gay men. Gay-affirmative advocates have begun to advance a minority stress hypothesis, claiming that discriminatory social conditions lead to poor health outcomes (Dean et al, 2000;Krieger & Sidney, 1997;Meyer, 2001;Rosario et al, 1996).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence.

Meyer¹

2013

Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

1,545

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In this article the author reviews research evidence on the prevalence of mental disorders in lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (LGBs) and shows, using meta-analyses, that LGBs have a higher prevalence of mental disorders than heterosexuals. The author offers a conceptual framework for understanding this excess in prevalence of disorder in terms of minority stress-explaining that stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create a hostile and stressful social environment that causes mental health problems. The model describes stress processes, including the experience of prejudice events, expectations of rejection, hiding and concealing, internalized homophobia, and ameliorative coping processes. This conceptual framework is the basis for the review of research evidence, suggestions for future research directions, and exploration of public policy implications.The study of mental health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations has been complicated by the debate on the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder during the 1960s and early 1970s. That debate posited a gay-affirmative perspective, which sought to declassify homosexuality, against a conservative perspective, which sought to retain the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder (Bayer, 1981). Although the debate on classification ended in 1973 with the removal of homosexuality from the second edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM;American Psychiatric Association, 1973), its heritage has lasted. This heritage has tainted discussion on mental health of lesbians and gay men by associating-even equating-claims that LGB people have higher prevalences of mental disorders than heterosexual people with the historical antigay stance and the stigmatization of LGB persons (Bailey, 1999).However, a fresh look at the issues should make it clear that whether LGB populations have higher prevalences of mental disorders is unrelated to the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder. A retrospective analysis would suggest that the attempt to find a scientific answer in that debate rested on flawed logic. The debated scientific question was, Is homosexuality a mental disorder? The operationalized research question that pervaded the debate was, Do homosexuals have high prevalences of mental disorders? But the research did not accurately operationalize the scientific question. The question of whether homosexuality should be considered a mental disorder is a question about classification. It can be answered by debating which behaviors, cognitions, or emotions should be considered indicators of a mental disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). To use postmodernist understanding of scientific knowledge, such a debate on classification concerns the social construction of mental disorder-what we as a society and as scientists agree are abnormal behaviors, cognitions, and emotions. The answer, therefore, depends on scientific and social consensus that evolves and is subject to the vicissitudes ...

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“…Nelas, "homossexualismo" fi gurava primeiro como um transtorno de personalidade e em seguida como um transtorno de identidade sexual. Variados problemas foram descritos nas pesquisas que supostamente apoiavam a noção da homossexualidade como patologia, incluindo falta de clareza conceitual, classifi cação inadequada dos participantes, grupos de comparação inadequados, amostragem falha, não observân-cia de fatores sociais possivelmente correlacionados e uso de medidas questionáveis (Gonsiorek, 1991). Infelizmente, essas pesquisas foram por muito tempo ignoradas e as orientações não heterossexuais acriticamente patologizadas até meados da década de 1970.…”

Section: Do Surgimento Ao "Fim" Da Homofobiaunclassified

Homofobia e preconceito contra diversidade sexual: debate conceitual

Costa

Nardi

2015

Temas Psicol.

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ResumoO termo homofobia tem sido amplamente utilizado para a conceitualização do preconceito e discriminação contra indivíduos que apresentem orientação sexual diferente da heterossexual. Apesar do seu uso corrente no Brasil, são quase ignoradas a extensa discussão e as controvérsias teóricas em torno do termo desde que foi cunhado na década de 1970 nos Estados Unidos. Esse estudo discutirá o surgimento do conceito homofobia, seus empregos, limites, possibilidades e implicações teóricas. Também abordará as reinterpretações da ideia de homofobia a partir da psicologia social à luz dos conceitos de preconceito e, por extensão, de atitudes. Por fi m, defender-se-á o uso da construção "preconceito contra diversidade sexual" como alternativa à homofobia para melhor defi nir o fenômeno quando pensado do ponto de vista individual.Palavras-chave: Homofobia, Psicologia Social, preconceito contra diversidade sexual. Homophobia and Prejudice against Sexual Diversity:Conceptual Debate AbstractThe term homophobia has been widely used for the conceptualization of violence and discrimination against individuals who have different sexual orientation from heterosexual. Despite its current use, it is almost ignored, especially in Brazil, the extensive theoretical discussion and controversy around the term since it was coined in the 1970 in the USA. This study discusses the emergence of the term homophobia its uses, limits, possibilities and theoretical implications. It will also addresses the reinterpretations of the idea of homophobia by social psychology using the concept of prejudice and per extent attitudes. Finally, it is defended the use of the construction "prejudice against sexual diversity" as an alternative to homophobia to better defi ne the phenomenon in the individual point of view.Keywords: Homophobia, Social Psychology, prejudice against sexual diversity. Homofobia y Prejuicio contra Diversidad Sexual: Debate Conceptual ResumenEl término homofobia se ha utilizado ampliamente para la conceptualización de la violencia y la discriminación contra las personas con orientación sexual distinta de la heterosexual. A pesar de su uso actual,

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The Empirical Basis for the Demise of the Illness Model of Homosexuality

Cited by 109 publications

References 0 publications

Families of the Lesbian baby boom: Maternal mental health and child adjustment

Families of the Lesbian baby boom: Maternal mental health and child adjustment

Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence.

Homofobia e preconceito contra diversidade sexual: debate conceitual

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