Sharon S Rostosky
Biographic Data
| ID | 925651 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sharon S Rostosky |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sharon S |
| FAMILY NAME | Rostosky |
| SIGNATURE | ROSTOSKY S S |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Kentucky |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9211-6577 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 75 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 846 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 75 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1996 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 16 |
“I feel complete … and I can breathe easy”: Transgender and nonbinary people’s experiences of authenticity
Religion/Spirituality, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual and Gender Minorities: The Religious/Spiritual Stress and Resilience Model
Although many sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) consider themselves religious or spiritual, the impact of this religiousness or spirituality (RS) on their health is poorly understood. We introduce the religious/spiritual stress and resilience model (RSSR) to provide a robust framework for understanding the variegated ways that RS influences the health of SGMs. The RSSR bridges existing theorizing on minority stress, structural stigma, and RS-he…
When worlds collide: The romantic relationship experiences of bisexual‐identifying Asian American men
Relationships, their processes, and outcomes are shaped by sociocultural norms and practices. The specialty of counseling psychology emphasizes the importance of a holistic understanding of the social context of lived experience as it affects health and well‐being. We used a queer paradigm and an intersectional approach to inquire about the romantic relationship experiences of 15 bisexual‐identifying Asian American men (BIAAM) who were at least 2…
A measure of hypervigilance in LGBTQ-identified individuals
LGBTQ individuals’ lived experiences of hypervigilance
Male privilege doesn’t lift the social status of all men in the same way”: Trans masculine individuals’ lived experiences of male privilege in the United States
Studying the longest ‘legal’ U.S. same-sex couples: A case of lessons learned
We review methodological opportunities and lessons learned in conducting a longitudinal, prospective study of same-sex couples with civil unions, recruited from a population-based sample, who were compared with same-sex couples in their friendship circle who did not have civil unions, and heterosexual married siblings and their spouse. At Time 1 (2002), Vermont was the only U.S. state to provide legal recognition similar to marriage to same-sex c…
Bisexual-Identifying Women’s Relationship Expectations of Female- and Male-Identifying Partners
Gender role socialization influences women’s expectations in intimate relationships. For bisexual-identifying women, expectations may differ by the gender of their partner. We interviewed a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 12 bisexual-identifying cis-gender women (M = 32 years old) about their relationship expectations of female- and male-identifying partners. Using a grounded theory approach to thematic analysis(Charmaz, 2014 Charmaz, K…
Transgender Individuals' Perceptions of Maternal Support in Central Appalachia
The psychosocial experiences of transgender individuals are shaped by specific cultural beliefs and values that influence family and community interactions. Using a constant-comparative approach to thematic analysis, we analyzed in-depth interviews with 25 transgender-identified adults in Central Appalachia and discovered that their mothers play a crucial role in their social support experiences. Participants described supportive and unsupportive…
Parental reactions to transgender and gender diverse children: A literature review
Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals face stigmatization from family members and peers, placing this group at high risk of adverse outcomes including suicidality, substance abuse, and compromised mental health. This article uses a literature review approach to explore the common experiences of parents of TGD individuals as they navigate their relationship with their TGD children. Across 32 identified studies, the experiences of parent…
The Australian Marriage Equality Debate: A Qualitative Analysis of the Self-Reported Lived Experience of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer (LGBTIQ) People
This study explored the lived experiences of a sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people during the Australian Government postal survey on legal recognition of same-sex marriage (August to November 2017). Negative impacts of public voting and debates on marriage equality for LGBTIQ people have been previously documented in United States, but less so in other national contexts. Thematic analysis was conduct…
Cognitive-affective and religious values associated with parental acceptance of an LGBT child
Expressive Writing Intervention With Cuban-American and Puerto Rican Parents of LGBTQ Individuals
Acceptance by parental figures is one of the most important protective factors for the mental health of LGBTQ individuals. To date, little is known about the experiences of Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ children. Thirty Latinx parental figures (19 Cuban-Americans; 11 Puerto Ricans) completed an expressive writing intervention focusing on cultural strengths and challenges that influenced their journey toward accepting their LGBTQ child. Themati…
Our State of the Union: Results From the 2017–2018 CCPTP Membership Survey
In honor of the 50th anniversary of The Counseling Psychologist , we present a snapshot of the current state of counseling psychology training in the context of the health service psychology model and competency-based framework of the Standards of Accreditation. Using data from the 2017–2018 Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs membership survey that was completed by 95% of counseling psychology training directors ( N = 76), we desc…
Relationship status and drinking-related outcomes in a community sample of lesbian and bisexual women
Although marriage tends to be protective against hazardous drinking among women in the general population, few studies have compared drinking rates, levels, or problems based on relationship status among sexual minority women (SMW; lesbian, bisexual). We examined associations between relationship status (committed relationship/cohabiting; committed/not cohabiting; single) and past-year drinking outcomes using data from a diverse sample of 696 SMW…
P Lannutti, Experiencing Same-Sex Marriage: Individuals, Couples, and Social Networks
Sexual Minority Women's and Gender-Diverse Individuals' Hope and Empowerment Responses to the 2016 Presidential Election
The 2016 presidential election and its outcome evoked strong reactions for many people in the United States. Women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, or queer, and individuals who identify as transgender or genderqueer felt at increased risk of experiencing discrimination and minority stress after the election (Veldhuis et al., 2017 Veldhuis, C. B., Drabble, L. A., Riggle, E. D. B., Wootton, A. R., & Hughes, T. L. (2017). “We won't go back into t…
LGB positive identity and psychological well-being
Relationship of Religiosity and Spirituality to Hazardous Drinking, Drug Use, and Depression Among Sexual Minority Women
Using data from Wave 3 of the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women (CHLEW) study (N = 699), we explored whether religiosity and spirituality were associated with risk of hazardous drinking, drug use, and depression among sexual minority women (SMW; i.e., lesbian, bisexual) and possible differences by race/ethnicity. Participants were more likely to endorse spirituality than religiosity, and endorsement of each was highest among African Am…
Same-sex relationships and minority stress
A qualitative study of parenting and religiosity/spirituality in LBGTQ families
Same-sex couple relationship strengths: A review and synthesis of the empirical literature (2000–2016)
“The Secret of Our Success”: Long-term Same-Sex Couples' Perceptions of Their Relationship Longevity
Long-term same-sex couples have maintained relationships within a sociopolitical environment that has historically stigmatized and provided little or no legal recognition for their relationship. In a qualitative interview study about relationships, 31 same-sex couples, in relationships lasting from 13 to 41 years (mean length = 22.6 years), were asked to discuss their perceptions of the factors or strengths they have as a couple that contribute t…
Outness, concealment, and authenticity: Associations with LGB individuals’ psychological distress and well-being
Impact of Civil Marriage Recognition for Long-Term Same-Sex Couples
Online Surveys for BGLT Research: Issues and Techniques
Online surveys are becoming increasingly popular for accessing less visible and decentralized populations, including bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender (BGLT) populations. Advances in technology and convenience for the both the researcher and the participant have facilitated this trend. In this paper, we explore issues related to conducting BGLT survey research online, such as making decisions about survey formats, target populations and recr…
Stress and relationship quality in same-sex couples
This research focuses on the relationship between sources of minority stress and the quality of same-sex couples' relationships. Interdependence theory and the minority stress model are used to examine actor-partner effects of internalized homophobia, discrimination, and perceived stress on perceptions of relationship quality in same-sex couples. Couples were recruited through web-based solicitations (N = 131). Path analysis and Kenny's (1996) te…
The Impact of Religiosity on Adolescent Sexual Behavior: A Review of the Evidence
Longitudinal studies published between 1980 and 2001 (N = 10) are reviewed for evidence that the religiosity of adolescents is causally related to their sexual behaviors. Results indicate that religiosity delays the sexual debut of adolescent females. Findings are mixed for adolescent males. Although only half of the studies examined the effects of race and ethnicity, results of these studies reported similar effects for White and Black adolescen…
Coital debut: The role of religiosity and sex attitudes in the add health survey
Recent reviews suggest that religiosity is associated with the delay of adolescent coital debut (Rostosky, Wilcox, Wright, Randall, in press; Wilcox, Rostosky, Randall, Wright, 2001). Few studies, however, have examined this association using longitudinal data to test theoretically driven models. We analyzed data from 3,691 adolescents (ages 15-21), testing the hypothesis that adolescent religiosity and sex attitudes (at Wave 1) predict later coi…
Sexual Self-Concept and Sexual Self-Efficacy in Adolescents: A Possible Clue to Promoting Sexual Health
This study examined the associations between sexual self-concept (sexual esteem and sexual anxiety) and sexual self-efficacy (situational and resistive) in a sample of 388 high school students (59% Caucasian, 28% African American). Males reported lower sexual esteem and lower sexual self-efficacy than females. Males and African Americans reported higher levels of sexual anxiety and lower levels of resistive self-efficacy than females and Caucasia…
Development of Heterosexuals into Sexual-Minority Allies: A Qualitative Exploration
The positive aspects of a transgender self-identification
Research to date has primarily focused on health risks, psychopathologies and negative life experiences with little attention to the positive aspects of identifying as transgender. An online survey collected data on self-reports of the positive aspects of a transgender identity (n = 61). Qualitative thematic analysis revealed eight positive identity themes: congruency of self; enhanced interpersonal relationships; personal growth and resiliency; …
Outness, concealment, and authenticity: Associations with LGB individuals’ psychological distress and well-being
The positive aspects of a bisexual self-identification
Bisexual clients (Page, 2007 Page, E. 2007. “Bisexual women's and men's experiences of psychotherapy”. In Becoming visible: Counseling bisexuals across the lifespan, Edited by: Firestein, B.A. 52–71. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. [Google Scholar]) and lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB)-affirmative therapists (Godfrey, Haddock, Fisher, & Lund, 2006 Godfrey, K., Haddock, S.A., Fisher, A. and Lund, L. 2006. Essential components of curricula …
School Belonging, Self-Esteem, and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: An Examination of Sex, Sexual Attraction Status, and Urbanicity
Marriage amendments and lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals in the 2006 election
A multifactor Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Positive Identity Measure (LGB-PIM)
This article describes the development of a measure of positive lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual (LGB) identity. Two studies were conducted to, first, establish the factor structure of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Positive Identity Measure (LGB-PIM), and second, test the reliability and validity of the resulting 25-item scale. Study 1 provided data for an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with 264 self-identified “male” or “female” individuals who…
LGB Identity and Eudaimonic Well Being in Midlife
Eudaimonic well being refers to personal growth and having purpose and meaning in life. High levels of eudaimonic well being facilitate a positive life experience. The National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) data was used to test a model predicting eudaimonic well being as a function of sexual identity. Reporting a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) identity was associated with lower eudaimonic well-being scores. Results …
Commitment in Same-Sex Relationships: A Qualitative Analysis of Couples' Conversations
Theoretical constructs and meanings of relational commitment for same-sex couples have typically been generalized from heterosexual relationships. Same-sex couples, however, face a unique set of challenges in constructing committed relationships. To expand our knowledge of the meaning of commitment, same-sex couples described their lived experiences in defining and creating a committed relationship. Transcripts of the conversations of 14 same-sex…
Power and Psychological Well-Being in Late Adolescent Romantic Relationships
Impact of Civil Marriage Recognition for Long-Term Same-Sex Couples
Does It Matter Where You Live? Nondiscrimination Laws and the Experiences of LGB Residents
Same-Sex Couples' Decisions and Experiences of Marriage in the Context of Minority Stress: Interviews From a Population-Based Longitudinal Study
In the emerging context of marriage equality, it is important to explore the reasons for and experience of marriage for long-term same-sex couples, including the role of minority stress. In Wave 3 of the population-based, longitudinal CUPPLES Study we interviewed 21 long-term same-sex couples (14 female, 7 male) who resided in 12 different states and who were legally married. Couple members ranged in age from 37 to 84 and reported being together …
Religiosity as a Protective Factor against Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) in Heterosexual, Bisexual, Gay, and Lesbian Young Adults
Although religiosity has been shown to be associated with positive outcomes in studies of general population samples, few studies have considered the potential differential effect of religiosity on those who are consolidating gay, lesbian, or bisexual (GLB) identities. Logistic regression analyses using a sample of 13,038 emerging adults from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health) revealed main effects for religiosity …
The Marriage Debate and Minority Stress
Healthy adult development commonly includes a desire and intent to form intimate, long-term relationships. For individuals attracted to members of the other sex, these relationships may be formed, socially affirmed, and, by mutual choice, legally recognized by government agencies in the U.S. For individuals attracted to members of the same sex, these relationships may be formed, but social affirmation and legal recognition are only sporadically a…
Menopause Research and The Dominance of the Biomedical Model 1984-1994
Popular images and stereotypes of women in the menopausal age range are overwhelmingly negative. Because these stereotypes are likely both to influence and to be influenced by published scholarship, it is particularly important to examine conventional knowledge as it has been represented in science-based journals. In an effort to examine the extent and nature of the accepted knowledge base regarding menopause, a survey of both medical and psychol…
Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples: Counseling Psychologists as Social Change Agents
The denial of civil marriage rights is a specific example of minority stress that can negatively affect the psychosocial well-being of self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals in same-sex partnerships, their families, and their allies. Counseling psychologists have an important role in addressing the minority stress that same-sex couples experience as a result of the lack of marriage equality. In the serv…
LGB positive identity and psychological well-being
Impact of Marriage Restriction Amendments on Family Members of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals: A Mixed‐Method Approach
This study explored the experiences of family members of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals (N= 198) following the 2006 November election in the United States. Family members in states that passed a constitutional amendment to restrict marriage recognition (PASS) reported greater exposure to negative media messages about LGB individuals and greater negative affect related to the amendments than family members living in non‐PASS states. …
Same‐Sex Marriage: The Social and Psychological Implications of Policy and Debates
The political debates and policies related to the civil marriage rights of same‐sex couples have psychological and social impacts on lesbian, gay, bisexual individuals and same‐sex couples and also on their families, friends, and communities. The overarching goal of this issue was to significantly advance the previous sparse literature on these impacts. The result is an international, interdisciplinary, methodologically, and theoretically diverse…
Menopause Research and The Dominance of the Biomedical Model 1984-1994
Popular images and stereotypes of women in the menopausal age range are overwhelmingly negative. Because these stereotypes are likely both to influence and to be influenced by published scholarship, it is particularly important to examine conventional knowledge as it has been represented in science-based journals. In an effort to examine the extent and nature of the accepted knowledge base regarding menopause, a survey of both medical and psychol…
Power and Psychological Well-Being in Late Adolescent Romantic Relationships
An Exploratory Examination of Spiritual Well-Being, Religiosity, and Drug Use Among Incarcerated Men
This study examines the relationships among spirituality, religiosity, and drug use among incarcerated males. Data were collected from 661 male prison inmates from four Kentucky State Correctional facilities. Spiritual well-being was measured using a modified version of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and religiosity was measured by worship attendance in the year prior to incarceration. In general, spirituality and religiosity were found t…
Coital debut: The role of religiosity and sex attitudes in the add health survey
Recent reviews suggest that religiosity is associated with the delay of adolescent coital debut (Rostosky, Wilcox, Wright, Randall, in press; Wilcox, Rostosky, Randall, Wright, 2001). Few studies, however, have examined this association using longitudinal data to test theoretically driven models. We analyzed data from 3,691 adolescents (ages 15-21), testing the hypothesis that adolescent religiosity and sex attitudes (at Wave 1) predict later coi…
The Impact of Religiosity on Adolescent Sexual Behavior: A Review of the Evidence
Longitudinal studies published between 1980 and 2001 (N = 10) are reviewed for evidence that the religiosity of adolescents is causally related to their sexual behaviors. Results indicate that religiosity delays the sexual debut of adolescent females. Findings are mixed for adolescent males. Although only half of the studies examined the effects of race and ethnicity, results of these studies reported similar effects for White and Black adolescen…
School Belonging, Self-Esteem, and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: An Examination of Sex, Sexual Attraction Status, and Urbanicity
Interaction and Relationship Quality in Late Adolescent Romantic Couples
This study examined the association between late adolescent romantic couple members' interaction and their overall relationship quality. Stepwise regression analyses were used to predict couple members' global self-reports of relationship quality from their own ratings of their interaction. Positive and negative behaviors, as well as patterns of interaction, were associated with relationship quality, with different patterns of association emergin…
Same-Sex Couples' Experiences with Homonegativity
Same-sex couples face many challenges in forming and maintaining committed relationships. Challenges unique to same-sex couples include experiences with homonegativity. Sixteen same-sex couples were asked to share their experiences with homonegativity that had an influence on their relational commitment. Data from their conversations were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research methodology (Hill, Thompson,&Williams, 1997). Analyses reveale…
The Execution of Legal Documents by Sexual Minority Individuals
Sexual minority individuals (specifically bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgendered [BGLT]) have identities and relationships that are socially stigmatized and legally unrecognized. An online survey of 398 BGLT individuals was conducted concerning their execution of 5 legal planning documents: a will, powers of attorney for finances and health care, a living will, and hospital visitation authorization. We found support for the hypothesis that BGLT…
The Marriage Debate and Minority Stress
Healthy adult development commonly includes a desire and intent to form intimate, long-term relationships. For individuals attracted to members of the other sex, these relationships may be formed, socially affirmed, and, by mutual choice, legally recognized by government agencies in the U.S. For individuals attracted to members of the same sex, these relationships may be formed, but social affirmation and legal recognition are only sporadically a…
Online Surveys for BGLT Research: Issues and Techniques
Online surveys are becoming increasingly popular for accessing less visible and decentralized populations, including bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender (BGLT) populations. Advances in technology and convenience for the both the researcher and the participant have facilitated this trend. In this paper, we explore issues related to conducting BGLT survey research online, such as making decisions about survey formats, target populations and recr…
To have or not to have: Advance planning by same-sex couples
Impact of Mental Health on Perceptions of Relationship Satisfaction and Quality Among Female Same-Sex Couples
Using data from both partners in female same-sex couples, individual and dyadic (individual/actor-partner) level analyses were conducted to determine the associations between couple members' global mental health, internalized homophobia, and perceptions of relationship qualities and satisfaction (N = 90). Findings at the dyadic level indicated that an individual's global mental health was uniquely associated with her partner's assessment of relat…
Commitment in Same-Sex Relationships: A Qualitative Analysis of Couples' Conversations
Theoretical constructs and meanings of relational commitment for same-sex couples have typically been generalized from heterosexual relationships. Same-sex couples, however, face a unique set of challenges in constructing committed relationships. To expand our knowledge of the meaning of commitment, same-sex couples described their lived experiences in defining and creating a committed relationship. Transcripts of the conversations of 14 same-sex…
Stress and relationship quality in same-sex couples
This research focuses on the relationship between sources of minority stress and the quality of same-sex couples' relationships. Interdependence theory and the minority stress model are used to examine actor-partner effects of internalized homophobia, discrimination, and perceived stress on perceptions of relationship quality in same-sex couples. Couples were recruited through web-based solicitations (N = 131). Path analysis and Kenny's (1996) te…
Advance Planning by Same-Sex Couples
The lack of legal recognition of same-sex couples can leave partners vulnerable in a crisis or emergency. Advance planning is one strategy couples can use to establish legal rights. Analyses of data collected from both partners in 131 same-sex couples suggested that executing advance-planning documents (wills, powers of attorney for finance and health care, and living wills) was associated with age and couple-level relational variables. Older cou…
Minority stress experiences in committed same-sex couple relationships.
Mental health services access for sexual minority individuals
The positive aspects of being a lesbian or gay man.
The need to provide culturally competent training for counseling gay men and lesbians (as well as other sexual minorities) is limited by the relative scarcity of research. Extant research has focused on psychopathologies and negative life experiences with little attention to the positive aspects of the lives of gay men and lesbians. An online survey collected data on perceptions of the positive aspects of being a gay man or lesbian (N 553). Quali…
Interracial Same-Sex Couples' Perceptions of Stress and Coping: An Exploratory Study
Thirteen interracial same-sex couples (8 male, 5 female) participated in a 30-minute dyadic conversation focused on perceptions of stress and coping in their relationship. A qualitative analysis of the transcribed conversations revealed that the majority of couples experienced both race-related and sexual identity–related stress. Almost half of the couples perceived that their identities as same-sex couples were the source of more stress than the…
An Exploratory Study of Religiosity and Same-Sex Couple Relationships
An apparent lack of empirical research on religiosity and same-sex couple relationships led to an exploratory examination of the role of religiosity in the relationships of 90 same-sex couples. For most couple participants, religious expression took an internal or private form rather than a public form. Couples tended to be homogamous in their religiosity. Couple homogamy of intrinsic religiosity (but not of affiliation or public/private religiou…
Religiosity and Alcohol Use in Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Youth and Young Adults
Sexual Self-Concept and Sexual Self-Efficacy in Adolescents: A Possible Clue to Promoting Sexual Health
This study examined the associations between sexual self-concept (sexual esteem and sexual anxiety) and sexual self-efficacy (situational and resistive) in a sample of 388 high school students (59% Caucasian, 28% African American). Males reported lower sexual esteem and lower sexual self-efficacy than females. Males and African Americans reported higher levels of sexual anxiety and lower levels of resistive self-efficacy than females and Caucasia…
Marriage amendments and psychological distress in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults.
An online survey of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults (N 1,552) examined minority stress (I. H. Meyer, 2003) and psychological distress following the 2006 general election in which constitutional amendments to limit marriage to 1 man and 1 woman were on the ballot in 9 states. Following the November election, participants living in states that passed a marriage amendment reported significantly more minority stress (i.e., exposure to negativ…
Marriage amendments and lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals in the 2006 election
Psychology (75 works) · Social Psychology (68 works) · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy (54 works) · Social Psychology (42 works) · Developmental psychology (39 works) · Sociology (32 works) · Lesbian (30 works) · Reproductive Health and Technologies (29 works) · Sexual minority (29 works) · Sexual orientation (26 works)