Review of: Cates, James. 2020. \u3cem\u3eSerpent in the Garden: Amish Sexuality in a Changing World\u3c/em\u3e.

James Cates offers a fascinating look at Amish views and experiences of marriage, family, sexuality, and gender in the book, Serpent in the Garden: Amish Sexuality in a Changing World. The analysis is based on “many years of interaction, informal interviews, and conversations with Amish confidantes…” (p. xiii). The upside of this approach is that the book has an “insider” feel to it. The downside is that the reader is not always sure how representative the stories are of the Amish community. From the opening story in the Preface to similar, colorful anecdotes throughout, the book may lend itself to a kind of salience bias because accounts are emotionally compelling in areas in which little research with the Amish has been conducted. Cates acknowledges this, as it was brought to his attention by a reviewer. There are the appropriate clarifications and qualifications surrounding the more colorful stories, but still the reader is left with an impression and little knowledge of the frequency of such behaviors. Thus, the representativeness of the accounts and indeed the basic validity of the analysis hinges upon the accuracy, veracity, and wisdom of the personal anecdotal accounts of the author or of those he informally interviewed. [First paragraph.

A Survey of Sexual Minorities Who Attend Faith-Based Institutions of Higher Education

This research considers the intersection of sexual identity and religious/spiritual identity in the context of faith-based institutions of higher education. One hundred and sixty students identifying as sexual minorities from fifteen Christian colleges and universities with Association for Christians in Student Development affiliations provided information on their experiences in these unique settings. The findings suggest sexual minorities on faith-based campuses are navigating religious/spiritual aspects of their identity as well as same-sex sexuality and sexual identity development. Both sexuality and religiosity/spirituality are two salient, interacting and multilevel variables for these students, particularly as they relate to doctrinal matters and policies at faith-based institutions of higher education. Campus climate was found to be a complicating factor for those students living at the intersection of these variables, but improving relational conditions, particularly with faculty and staff, were noteworthy in light of past research. Impact on developmental milestones and psychological health were also examined

Forgiveness-Reconciliation and Communication-Conflict-Resolution Interventions Versus Retested Controls in Early Married Couples

The first 6 months of marriage are optimal for marriage enrichment interventions. The Hope-Focused Approach to couple enrichment was presented as two 9-hr interventions--(a) Handling Our Problems Effectively (HOPE), which emphasized communication and conflict resolution, and (b) Forgiveness and Reconciliation through Experiencing Empathy (FREE). HOPE and FREE were compared with repeated assessment controls. Couples were randomly assigned and were assessed at pretreatment (t1); 1 month posttreatment (t2) and at 3- (t3), 6- (t4), and 12-month (t5) follow-ups using self-reports. In addition to self-report measures, couples were assessed at t1, t2, and t5 using salivary cortisol, and behavioral coding of decision making. Of 179 couples who began the study, 145 cases were analyzed. Both FREE and HOPE produced lasting positive changes on self-reports. For cortisol reactivity, HOPE and FREE reduced reactivity at t2, but only HOPE at t5. For coded behaviors, control couples deteriorated; FREE and HOPE did not change. Enrichment training was effective regardless of the focus of the training

Dr. Mark Yarhouse

Dr. Mark Yarhouse, Virginia Beach, VA There is no video of this chapel due to copyright or other issues

Experiences of Students and Alumni Navigating Sexual Identity in Faith-Based Higher Education: A Qualitative Study

Students and alumni affiliated with faith-based institutions of higher education who experience same-sex attraction regardless of identity label or behavior (“sexual minorities”) shared some of their experiences in these unique settings. The results of this study are consistent with existing research in this area suggesting that sexual minorities may be a distinct group in several important ways. We reported on their experiences of milestone events, meaning-making associated with identity, and concerns about campus climate in light of a range of perspectives on religious doctrine and institutional policies

Emerging Best Practices for the Management and Treatment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Intersex Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings

In 2016 according to the U.S. Department of Justice, 856,130 youth were arrested and 45,567 juveniles were held in 1,772 residential juvenile facilities across the country. Detained and confined youth share many characteristics: most are from poor communities and lack access to quality health care. Mental illness and sexually transmitted infections are prevalent. Compared to their non-confined counterparts, incarcerated youth also experience higher rates of substance abuse and homelessness, are educationally behind their peers, are disproportionately identified as needing special education services, and are more likely to have had traumatic experiences (including sexual and emotional abuse) and injuries including traumatic brain injury, among other health issues. Increasingly, youth-serving justice professionals believe that community-based alternatives to incarceration are preferable. Incarceration should be used only as a last resort. To the extent that youth are incarcerated, this resource provides best practices for making juvenile justice facilities as safe and affirming as possible for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex youth. Traditionally, many juvenile justice professionals have had a strong commitment to the rehabilitation and treatment needs of youth in their care. In fact, most youth are held in facilities that screen for educational needs, substance abuse, and mental health needs. Many strive to create a therapeutic environment for adolescents. Actually achieving that goal is a challenge for many institutions, one that this paper strives to highlight and address. Juvenile justice administrators and staff must create a professional, non-discriminatory environment where all youth in their charge are physically and emotionally safe and treated respectfully. To meet this professional goal, including the mandates of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, administrators and staff need to understand how to create and maintain a safe and secure environment within the juvenile justice system for a particularly vulnerable population that is at disproportionate risk for both confinement and sexual abuse: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex youth (collectively, LGBTQI youth). Youth, regardless of whether or not they are in custody and/ or identify as LGBTQI, experience developmental and social challenges during adolescence. LGBTQI youth not only face the changes and challenges of adolescence, but also the stress of developing and living with a stigmatized identity including—too often—family and societal rejection. Juvenile justice facilities should offer mental health and other support services to all youth in their care to aid them in the process of maturation. These services should always be offered and tailored to the unique needs of each individual. This in turn will allow facility staff to create a safer, more secure facility for all youth in their care and custody, along with a supportive rehabilitative environment. We have created this informational guide to offer important background about LGBTQI youth in confinement, along with promising practices for their proper and effective management and treatment. We trust it will be a useful resource to better equip all juvenile justice administrators and staff with needed and more precise tools to better address the particular needs and vulnerabilities of this population. This, in turn, will allow correctional staff to execute their jobs more effectively and create a safer, more secure facility for all youth in their care and custody, along with a supportive rehabilitative environment