Disclosure of Sexual Orientation and Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youths’ Adjustment: Associations with Past and Current Parental Acceptance and Rejection

Abstract

One hundred eleven self-identified gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) youths who had disclosed sexual orientation to parents and 53 GLB youths who had not disclosed to parents participated in a study that examined (1) the associations between parent-child relationship quality in childhood to GLB youths’ coming out; (2) the associations between GLB youths’ coming out to parents, on the one hand, and GLB youths’ identity and psychological maladjustment, and alcohol and drug consumption, on the other hand; and (3) the unique associations between past and current family relationship characteristics and GLB youths’ current identity and psychological adjustment, and alcohol and drug consumption. Results showed that, compared to undisclosed youths, disclosed youths reported higher levels of acceptance from their mothers and fathers in childhood, and lower levels of rejection by fathers in childhood. Also, as compared to undisclosed youths, a smaller proportion of disclosed youths reported they had engaged in alcohol and drug consumption behaviors. Among disclosed youths, past and current parental acceptance and rejection accounted for unique variance of youths’ current identity and psychological maladjustment, whereas current rejection of sexual orientation accounted for unique variance of current youths’ alcohol and drug consumption. Research and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.