Negative parental responses to coming out and family functioning in a sample of lesbian and gay young adults

Parental responses to youths' coming out (CO) are crucial to the subsequent adjustment of children and family. The present study investigated the negative parental reaction to the disclosure of same-sex attraction and the differences between maternal and paternal responses, as reported by their homosexual daughters and sons. Participants' perceptions of their parents' reactions (evaluated through the Perceived Parental Reactions Scale, PPRS), age at coming out, gender, parental political orientation, and religiosity involvement, the family functioning (assessed through the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales, FACES IV), were assessed in 164 Italian gay and lesbian young adults. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relation between family functioning and parental reaction to CO. The paired sample t-test was used to compare mothers and fathers' scores on the PPRS. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to analyze the relevance of each variable. No differences were found between mothers and fathers in their reaction to the disclosure. The analysis showed that a negative reaction to coming out was predicted by parents' right-wing political conservatism, strong religious beliefs, and higher scores in the scales Rigid and Enmeshed. Findings confirm that a negative parental reaction is the result of poor family resources to face a stressful situation and a strong belief in traditional values. These results have important implications in both clinical and social fields

Prevention of congenital malformations and other adverse pregnancy outcomes with 4.0 mg of folic acid : community-based randomized clinical trial in Italy and the Netherlands

Background: In 2010 a Cochrane review confirmed that folic acid (FA) supplementation prevents the first- and second-time occurrence of neural tube defects (NTDs). At present some evidence from observational studies supports the hypothesis that FA supplementation can reduce the risk of all congenital malformations (CMs) or the risk of a specific and selected group of them, namely cardiac defects and oral clefts. Furthermore, the effects on the prevention of prematurity, foetal growth retardation and pre-eclampsia are unclear.Although the most common recommendation is to take 0.4 mg/day, the problem of the most appropriate dose of FA is still open.The aim of this project is to assess the effect a higher dose of peri-conceptional FA supplementation on reducing the occurrence of all CMs. Other aims include the promotion of pre-conceptional counselling, comparing rates of selected CMs, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, small for gestational age, abruptio placentae.Methods/Design: This project is a joint effort by research groups in Italy and the Netherlands. Women of childbearing age, who intend to become pregnant within 12 months are eligible for the studies. Women are randomly assigned to receive 4 mg of FA (treatment in study) or 0.4 mg of FA (referent treatment) daily. Information on pregnancy outcomes are derived from women-and-physician information.We foresee to analyze the data considering all the adverse outcomes of pregnancy taken together in a global end point (e.g.: CMs, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, small for gestational age). A total of about 1,000 pregnancies need to be evaluated to detect an absolute reduction of the frequency of 8%. Since the sample size needed for studying outcomes separately is large, this project also promotes an international prospective meta-analysis.Discussion: The rationale of these randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is the hypothesis that a higher intake of FA is related to a higher risk reduction of NTDs, other CMs and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Our hope is that these trials will act as catalysers, and lead to other large RCTs studying the effects of this supplementation on CMs and other infant and maternal outcomes.Trial registration: Italian trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01244347.Dutch trial: Dutch Trial Register ID: NTR3161

School climate perceptions at the intersection of sex, grade, sexual, and gender identity

School climate is an important construct in research on adolescents. Yet, no known studies have evaluated whether the measured school climate constructs are equivalent across lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ), and heterosexual students as well as sex and grade levels. This study assessed measurement equivalence of a second-order school climate construct across 1) sexual identity and sex among cisgender adolescents and 2) sexual and gender identity and grade level among cisgender and transgender adolescents. Data come from a California statewide survey of middle and high school students. Measurement equivalence was supported. This study reinforces prior findings on sexual and gender minority disparities and sheds light on an interesting pattern of school experiences across grades that deserves further investigation

Omogenitorialità e benessere dei bambini e delle bambine: Confusione dell'identità di genere o confusione dell'ideologia del gender?

Il concetto di famiglia ha subito sostanziali cambiamenti negli ultimi anni. Un forte segnale di questa trasformazione risulta evidente dalle numerose richieste della società di comprendere e accogliere nuovi e diversificati paradigmi familiari, come le famiglie ricomposte, le famiglie di fatto, le famiglie con un solo genitore, le famiglie miste e con genitori oltre i 50 anni d’età, le famiglie composte da genitori gay, lesbiche e bisessuali. Nel loro articolo bersaglio «Madri lesbiche, padri gay: genitori de-generati?» Lingiardi e Carone affrontano questioni importanti quali il benessere psicologico e sociale dei bambini che crescono in famiglie composte da genitori dello stesso sesso, il destino del mito edipico, la varietà delle costellazioni familiari e, infine, i pregiudizi nei confronti delle famiglie omogenitoriali

Children experiencing sadness: Coping strategies and attachment relationships

This study aimed to explore the events which are sources of sadness for children, and their coping strategies for overcoming their sadness according to their attachment security. We expected that distinct clusters would emerge, with securely attached children more likely showing constructive and successful coping strategies than insecurely attached children. Middle-class children (N = 191) aged 7–11 years old from four private elementary schools were asked to talk about a sad event they experienced using open-ended questions from the Sadness Interview. The answers were coded into different categories of sad events and associated coping strategies. Finally, children were assessed on their security attachment using the Security Scale. Cluster analyses identified a four-cluster solution. Children in the Clusters 1 and 2 were characterized by a perceived successful constructive coping strategy while describing minor events (in the first Cluster), and very painful events (in the second). Furthermore, in the third Cluster children overcame sad events using a perceived successful disengagement coping strategy, whereas children in the fourth Cluster are characterized by perceived unresolved sadness. ANCOVA testing showed that children in the first cluster had significantly higher attachment security compared to Clusters 3 and 4, which did not significantly differ from each other. The study of sadness in children may be particularly informative for clinicians and educators for understanding and supporting children’s strategies of sadness management while considering the influence of their attachment relationships on their ability to cope with sadness

The role of peer victimization, sexual identity, and gender on unhealthy weight control behaviors in a representative sample of Texas youth

Objective: The aim of the study is to examine the association between victimization and unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCB), accounting for other key correlates of UWCB while considering the moderating role of sexual identity and gender. Method: This study used data from the 2017 Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a representative sample of students in grades 9–12 in the U.S. state of Texas, including 2,067 students (1,754 heterosexuals and 313 sexual minorities). We used survey-weighted logistic regression to examine the association of sexual identity, gender, and victimization (dating violence, cyberbullying, and school bullying) with UWCB, after adjusting for demographic information and indicators of weight, physical activity, and support from adults. Results: Unhealthy weight control behaviors were associated with older age, being obese, lack of support from adults, low physical activity, and cyberbullying. A significant three-way interaction between gender, sexual identity and bullying showed that bullying was associated with high levels of UWCB among sexual minority males. Discussion: Our study highlights the role of victimization in health behaviors for stigmatized groups, and the importance of school efforts to implement an equitable and safe learning environment for all students

Sexual minority youth’s mental health and substance use: The roles of victimization, cybervictimization, and non-parental adult support

Victimization is a well-established driver of sexual minority youth’s (SMY) mental health and substance use risk. The current study examined and extended this research by exploring how victimization, cybervictimization, and non-parental supportive adults contribute to SMY’s vulnerability to poor mental health and substance use. Using data from the first representative sample of Texas youth that measures sexual identity, we analyzed sex-stratified models of the association between sexual identity, mental health, and substance use, and the confounding effects of victimization, cybervictimization, and non-parental adult support. Victimization was more common among SMY and accounted for a greater proportion of sexual identity disparities on mental health and substance use, especially for males. Sexual minority females were more likely to report cybervictimization than heterosexual youth, and cybervictimization was associated with mental health risk. SMY reported fewer available non-parental supportive adults, which was associated with more sadness, suicidality, and polysubstance use. Our study adds to extant evidence that victimization drives SMY’s increased susceptibility to mental health and substance use risk. Schools should implement inclusive policies that prohibit bullying based on sexual minority identity and offer professional development opportunities for supporting SMY

Does a Decade of School Administrator Support for Educator Training on Students’ Sexual and Gender Identity Make a Difference for Students’ Victimization and Perceptions of School Climate?

Professional development training for school personnel on issues related to sexual and gender identity (i.e., SOGI training) is a school strategy designed to prevent health and educational disparities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth at school. Yet we know surprisingly little about how the presence of this practice at school affects students’ experience. This study explores whether students’ experiences of victimization and school climate vary as a function of school administrator support for SOGI training at two time points (2004 and 2014). We combined multiple independent databases: students’ reports on victimization and school climate in 2013–2015 (n = 55,158), and school (n = 152) and school district data (n = 67) on support for SOGI training in 2004 and 2014. More positive school climates were found in schools with support for SOGI training in 2004 only and both 2004 and 2014 compared to schools with SOGI training support in 2014 only. In schools with support for SOGI training in both 2004 and 2014, LGBT students reported the lowest rates of victimization. Findings from this study provide evidence that support for SOGI training by school administration is an effective way to improve school contexts for LGBT and all students. School administrators who aim to reduce victimization disparities for LGBT students and improve school climates should support the implementation of SOGI training, and sustain such training over time

Ideazione suicidaria e orientamento sessuale in giovani adulti: fattori di rischio e di protezione.

INTRODUZIONE. Nell’ambito della salute mentale il suicidio è considerato un argomento di particolare interesse. Si tratta della terza causa di morte in adolescenti e giovani adulti tra i 15 e i 24 anni (Nock, et al., 2008a). Vi è un ampio consenso in letteratura in riferimento a diverse variabili associate all’ideazione suicidaria: il genere (Laghi, Baiocco, D'Alessio, & Gurrieri, 2009), la religiosità (Bernal, et al., 2006) e il coinvolgimento religioso (Dervic, et al., 2004), il livello d’istruzione (Nock, et al., 2008b), l’essere coinvolti in una relazione sentimentale stabile (Qin, Agerbo, & Mortensen, 2003), le esperienze passate di vittimizzazione a scuola (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010), la qualità della relazione con i pari (Laghi et al., 2009) e i genitori (King & Merchanta, 2008; Kerr, Preuss, & King, 2006) e i sintomi di natura depressiva (Casey et al., 2008). Solamente negli ultimi anni la letteratura internazionale si sta interessando all’orientamento sessuale come una tra le variabili associate all’ideazione suicidaria: recenti studi hanno infatti dimostrato un alto rischio di comportamenti suicidari in gay, lesbiche e bisessuali (Haas, et al., 2011). Giovani appartenenti a minoranze sessuali, e nello specifico giovani adulti gay e lesbiche, hanno una probabilità di ideazione suicidaria da 2 a 4 volte maggiore rispetto ai coetanei eterosessuali (Baiocco et al., in press). La ricerca presentata assume come quadro teorico di riferimento il Modello del Minority Stress (MSM) o stress legato all'appartenenza ad una minoranza (Meyer, 2003; Lingiardi, 2012). Secondo tale modello la stigmatizzazione subita dai ragazzi gay e lesbiche è una fonte continuativa e non trascurabile di stress che in assenza di modelli positivi di riferimento, incide sulla qualità della vita e sulla salute mentale (Bos, van Balen, van den Boom, 2004). Il presente contributo intende valutare i fattori di rischio e di protezione tenendo in particolare considerazione l’orientamento sessuale non eterosessuale come una delle variabili predittive dell’ideazione suicidaria. METODO. Partecipanti: Hanno partecipato alla ricerca adolescenti e giovani adulti gay e lesbiche (N=395) ed eterosessuali (N=806) con un’età compresa tra i 16 e i 30 anni. Strumenti: Measure of internalized Sexual Stigma for Lesbians and Gay Men (MISS-LG; Lingiardi et al., 2012) per misurare i livelli di stigma sessuale interiorizzato; Disclosure of Sexual Orientation (DSO; Vyncke & Julien, 2007) per misurare il livello di self-disclosure del proprio orientamento sessuale in famiglia e nella propria rete sociale, il Beck Depression Inventory second edition (BDI-II; Beck et al., 1996) per valutare l’ideazione suicidaria, il Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI; Parker, Tupling & Brown, 1979) e l’Inventory of Parents and Peer Attachment (IPPA; Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) per misurare la qualità della relazione con i familiari e gli amici e l’Illinois Bully Scale (IBS; Espelage & Holt, 2001) per valutare i livello di maltrattamento subito in passato nei contesti scolastici. RISULTATI. Lo studio rileva una differenza significativa di ideazione suicidaria in funzione dell’orientamento sessuale (Chi2=8.27; p <.01): i giovani adulti gay e lesbiche (30.6%) riportano una maggiore ideazione suicidaria rispetto ai loro coetanei eterosessuali (17.8%). Nessuna differenza significativa è stata evidenziata in funzione del genere. Nel confronto tra giovani adulti eterosessuali e partecipanti gay e lesbiche, l’analisi della regressione logistica evidenzia tra i predittori maggiormente significativi il livello di depressione (odd ratio=4.09; p <.01), l’essere gay e lesbica, che aumenta di circa 2 volte la probabilità di ideazione suicidaria (odd ratio=2.09; p <.01), l’aver subito vittimizzazione a scuola (odd ratio=1.85; p <.01), una peggiore qualità nella relazione con i genitori (odd ratio=1.76; p <.01) e il gruppo dei pari (odd ratio=1.68; p <.01). Nel gruppo dei soli partecipanti gay e lesbiche un elevato livello di stigma sessuale interiorizzato raddoppia le probabilità di ideazione suicidaria (odd ratio=2.48; p <.01). CONCLUSIONI. I risultati sono coerenti con la letteratura nell’individuare i fattori di rischio maggiormente connessi all’ideazione suicidaria. Nello specifico la ricerca evidenzia l’importanza dell’orientamento sessuale come uno tra i predittori più significativi dell’ideazione suicidaria in giovani adulti. Coerentemente con il Modello del Minority Stress, lo stigma sessuale interiorizzato è un fattore di rischio rilevante per il benessere dei giovani adulti gay e lesbiche. I risultati del presente studio sembrano indicare che l’orientamento sessuale rappresenta una variabile importante da considerare in tutte quelle ricerche che indagano il benessere in giovani adulti soprattutto in quei contesti, come ad esempio quello italiano, caratterizzati da alti livelli di omofobia sociale

Helicopter mothers and helicopter fathers: Italian adaptation and validation of the helicopter parenting instrument

The aim of this study is to validate the Italian version of the Helicopter Parenting Instrument (HPI), a self-report instrument that evaluate adolescents’ and young adults’ perception of parenting behaviors. The term helicopter parenting describes a style of child-rearing characterized by parents who are over-involved in every aspect of their children’s lives in inappropriate ways, compromising their autonomy. The HPI (maternal and paternal version) was administered to 602 adolescents (356 females), between 14 and 18 years of age (Mfemales = 16.56; SD = 1.43; Mmales = 16.63; SD = 1.41). The factorial analysis confirmed the original one-factor structure for both versions. The two versions of the instrument demonstrated good concurrent and divergent validity and the reliability was high. In general, our participants perceived mothers with higher levels of helicopter parenting than fathers, regardless of gender and age of the participants. In conclusion, the instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties, indicating that it may be a valid measure for evaluating parental overparenting in the Italian context