A Latent Profile Analysis of Religious Parents’ Responses to Their Sexual and Gender Diverse Child

Bibliographic Data

ID7315490
AuthorsVeronica Hanna-Walker (0000-0003-3486-3990, University of Connecticut), Eva S Lefkowitz (0000-0001-9227-0662, University of Connecticut), R J Watson (0000-0001-7824-7714, University of Connecticut)
Year2024
Volume72
Issue10
Pages1897-1917
Publication date2024-09-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Homosexuality (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0091-8369 • E-ISSN: 1540-3602
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00918369.2024.2398552
PMID39230418
OpenAlexW4402227113
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited51

Prior research indicates that religious parents can have negative, positive, or ambivalent responses to their child's sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Yet, to our knowledge no research has quantitatively examined patterns of sexual and gender diverse (SGD) youth's perceptions of their religious parents' responses to their SOGI. Without examining variations in these patterns, we are unable to better understand the experiences of SGD youth with religious parents. In the current paper, we examined patterns of SGD youth's perceptions of their religious parents' SOGI-specific rejection, acceptance, and SOGI change efforts. We also examined if these patterns differed by SGD youth's individual and contextual factors. The analytic sample consisted of online responses from 5,686 SGD youth (Mage = 15.95). We found four distinct profiles: Positive Parental Response, Moderate Negative Parental Response, Low Parental Response, and High Negative Parental Response. The largest profile was the Positive Parental Response, suggesting that many SGD youth perceived positive responses from their religious parents. SGD youth with diverse gender identities and intersecting identities, such as race/ethnicity, were more vulnerable to religious parents' negative responses. Findings have implications for existing resources and programs aimed at strengthening SGD youth's relationship with their religious parents

Developmental psychology · Homosexuality · Latent class model · Psychoanalysis · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Marriage and Sexual Relationships · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Technologies · Social Psychology

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