Direct and Indirect Minority Stress Experiences of Parents with Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Children

Abstract

The present study investigated how parental experiences of direct and indirect minority stress are linked to mental health outcomes of the parent and LGB child, parenting styles, and other parental behaviors. A total of 223 parents with at least one LGB child participated in the study. Results showed that parental minority stress is associated with higher rates of mental health problems for parents and their LGB children, and were linked to higher rates of parental authoritarianism, less authoritativeness, less acceptance, and less conflict resolution between parent and child. Parental authoritarianism was found to mediate the link between direct parental minority stress and child mental health, as well as partially mediate the link between indirect parental minority stress and child mental health problems. These findings suggest that there are two different types of parental minority stress - one concerning the parents' own experiences of marginalization and one regarding their concerns for their LGB child - and that each form has meaningful implications on parental behavior and the psychological wellbeing of parents and their LGB children.