Fertility preservation and parenthood: perspectives of trans and non-binary youth and parents in Portugal

(1) Background: Fertility preservation allows for trans and non-binary individuals to achieve parenthood using their own gametes. Considering that preservation of gametes can be performed at increasingly earlier ages, it is important to analyze both the attitudes of trans and non-binary youth and their parents towards available family formation options, including fertility preservation. We aimed to explore attitudes toward parenthood and fertility among trans and non-binary youth and parents of trans and non-binary youth. (2) Methods: A questionnaire about fertility attitudes was administered to 33 adolescents and young adults and 27 parents. (3) Results: Trans and non-binary youth showed little interest in resorting to fertility preservation, and both parents and youth mentioned the lack of knowledge about this procedure as the main reason for not performing it. Parents were overall supportive of their children’s decisions, including the choice of different pathways to parenthood other than biological reproduction. (4) Discussion: Health providers should ensure that young trans and non-binary persons and their parents are aware of family formation options, including fertility preservation along with its impact in future genetic parenthood

Atitudes face à diversidade sexual no contexto psicossocial, jurídico, da saúde e educativo

In the current study we sought to investigate the attitudes towards sexual diversity evidenced by persons who, in their specific areas of intervention, will deal with children, adolescents, and adults. With this goal in mind, a group of future professionals from psychosocial, legal, health, and educational domains (N = 1288) were asked about their attitudes towards lesbians and gay men, and their interpersonal/academic exposure to sexual diversity. There was a tendency for students in Education, Medicine and Law degrees to report more negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men, than students in psychosocial areas. Law students had the least contact with non-heterosexual persons and Education students had the least contact with scientific information pertaining to sexual diversity, results which may partly inform their negative attitudes toward sexually diverse people. Implications of this study aim to raise awareness of the need for future professionals to consider the implications of how their attitudes may impact sexually diverse people. The need for the inclusion of these issues in the curricula of university degrees is also highlighted.Procurou-se, neste estudo, averiguar as atitudes face à diversidade sexual de pessoas que, nas suas áreas específicas de intervenção, lidarão com crianças, adultos e jovens. Para tal, um conjunto de futuros profissionais da área psicossocial, jurídica, da saúde e da educação (N = 1288) foi inquirido sobre as suas atitudes face a lésbicas e a gays e o seu contacto pessoal/científico com a diversidade sexual. Verificou-se uma tendência para os alunos dos cursos de Educação, Medicina e Direito evidenciarem atitudes mais negativas face a lésbicas e a gays, do que os alunos provenientes de cursos da área psicossocial. Os alunos de Direito foram os que reportaram menos amigos/as não heterossexuais e os alunos de Educação os que referiram menos contacto com informação científica sobre diversidade sexual, resultados que poderão explicar parcialmente as suas atitudes. As implicações deste estudo remetem para a consciencialização dos futuros profissionais acerca das suas atitudes face à diversidade sexual e para a abordagem desta temática no âmbito dos curricula das licenciaturas

Methodological aspects of cross-cultural research : measurement challenge

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Prospective Co-Parenting Relationship Scale (PCRS) for sexual minority and heterosexual people: preliminary validation

The coparenting relationship begins with a process of planning and negotiation about having children. Available psychological instruments have not been adapted to sexual minority people, which compromises their ecological validity. This mixed method study aimed to adapt and validate a prospective version of the Co-Parenting Relationship Scale in a Portuguese sample of sexual minority and heterosexual adults who did not have children and who were in a dyadic relationship. In study 1, cognitive interviews were used to gather participants’ reflections about the original items and the role played by the family of origin and anticipated stigma in coparenting (n = 6). In study 2, using a sample of individuals from 18 to 45 years old, two Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) were conducted separately for sexual minority (n = 167) and heterosexual persons (n = 198), and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted for heterosexual persons (n = 176). Results showed underscored the importance of families of origin independent of sexual orientation. Different factorial structures for sexual minority and heterosexual persons were observed. Among sexual minority persons, the role of stigma was also highlighted. Implications for practice and research are discussed