Disclosure Of Orientation Research Articles

Factors associated with regular HIV testing behavior of MSM in China: a cross-sectional survey informed by theory of triadic influence.

The prevalence of HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China has increased in recent years. Regular HIV testing is a key prevention strategy for identifying HIV infections among MSM. Informed by the theory of triadic influence, we aimed to determine individual, social and environmental factors associated with regular HIV testing behavior. Regular HIV testing is defined as taking an HIV test every 3 to 6 months. Both an online survey and a face-to-face survey was administered to MSM in China. Logistic regression was used to examine associations with testing behavior. 500 MSM were surveyed, the prevalence of regular testing was 56.4%. In the final model, age of first sexual intercourse, self-efficacy, perceived risk, number of partners, orientation disclosure, knowledge of HIV testing, behavioral intention and HIV relevant behaviors (sexually transmitted infection testing history) were associated with regular HIV testing; social stream characteristics had stronger associations with regular testing than individual and environmental factors. Findings implicated that interventions aimed at improving the effective counseling service from healthcare providers and the medical environment and intrapersonal changes should be combined to encourage MSM to have their first HIV test and to keep coming back at regular intervals.

Navigating disclosure of sexual minority identity for men in socio-politically conservative areas

Previous models of sexual minority orientation identity development have theorized disclosure of current orientation as important in accepting one’s sexual minority identity. Furthermore, research into disclosure of sexual orientation highlights positive outcomes for disclosure and negative outcomes for concealment of sexual minority identity. These models, however, fail to incorporate the socio-cultural context of the individual. Using a grounded theory approach, we conducted 40 interviews with individuals who identified with a sexual minority identity living in rural areas in Oklahoma, a primarily socio-politically conservative state in the U.S. Data collection continued until thematic saturation was reached. Three main themes were identified by participants in regards to navigating disclosure of sexual orientation: (1) assessment of consequences to disclosure; (2) situational disclosure of sexual orientation; and (3) disclosure of current sexual orientation. Rural sexual minority men navigate disclosing their sexual orientation by considering the socio-cultural environment where they live and the acceptance and/or rejection of important individuals in their lives. This consideration demonstrates the importance of considering disclosure as a step in sexual minority identity development, not actual disclosure of sexual minority identity. A preliminary model of navigating disclosure is proposed and implications are discussed.

Homoseksualumo atsiskleidimą aprašančių straipsnių komentarų turinio analizė

Both researchers and society agree that those who decide to disclose their sexual orientation can find acceptance and even support in these experiences, while others are met with negative reactions, such as anger, rejection or bullying etc. There are lots of controversial studies about the differences in reactions to the coming out of homosexual men and women. It is agreed that these attitudes could be defined as multidimensional constructs comprised of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. A content analysis of comments on articles describing coming out of homosexual individuals has not been yet performed in Lithuania. The aim of this study was to analyze the content of comments as reactions to the articles describing homosexuality disclosure in order to reveal the prevailing beliefs, emotions and behavioral reactions toward the disclosure of homosexuality and to compare any differences in responses while taking into account the sex of a disclosed person. A content analysis of 380 comments collected on the websites lrytas.lt and delfi.lt was carried out. The validity of the content categories was assessed with a second-rater procedure. The agreement percentage among the raters ranged from 84 to 100 and Cohen’s kappa from 0.42 to 1 throughout the categories. After the first evaluation of the content and after an objective selection of the comments for this research, 156 comments, which were suitable for further analysis, were selected. The analysis has shown that commentators tend to have negative perceptions regarding the disclosure of a homosexual individual’s sexual orientation. In the comments of the articles describing homosexuality disclosure, it was most often expressed that homosexuality is an unnatural thing or a perversion; that homosexual people should not disclose their sexual orientation; that homosexual people should not be allowed to raise children. At the same time, any positive attitude was expressed rarely. The most prevailing positive attitude is the following: homosexual people are just as normal as heterosexual people. Negative emotions, such as anger or disgust, as well as homophobic bullying (offensive remarks, jokes, and name-calling), were dominating in the comments. The accepting behavior (not encouraging someone to change), positive emotional reactions, such as support and suggestions to emigrate, were the rarest. The content analysis of the comments revealed the different reactions of the readers to homosexual men and women. The negative attitude toward raising children and the emotion of anger are more often addressed toward homosexual women than to homosexual men. The results of this study indicate the prevailing negative attitude toward the public disclosure of the sexual orientation of homosexual persons.

Examining the Therapeutic Processes Associated With Conservative Christian Parental Acceptance of Their Son or Daughter’s Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual Orientation

Parents with strong conservative Christian religious beliefs may view their son or daughter’s lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) orientation disclosure as a family crisis, and as a result, may seek out support and direction from a Licensed Christian Mental Health Practitioner (LCMHP). The counsel that the LCMHP provides, and a parent’s subsequent responses to his or her disclosing son or daughter, can have substantive and enduring positive or negative impacts on the youth’s physical and mental health. While it is known that parents can become more accepting of their LGB-oriented son or daughter, the processes by which greater acceptance occurs for conservative Christian parents has yet to be fully examined. The present study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis research methodology to garner a greater understanding of the conservative Christian parental acceptance phenomena that occurs within the context of a therapeutic engagement between parents and an LCMHP. Providing a greater understanding of the processes and meanings associated with this phenomenon will provide LCMHPs with information that could assist them in helping conservative Christian parents to better navigate their relationship with their LGB-oriented son or daughter.

MOTIVATION OF PERSONALITY OF FOSTER CHILD PARENT

In modern society the question of social protection of orphans and children who are left without parental care is actual. Such children should be transferred to a foster family. Every year increases the number of people willing to take orphans. In the matter of adoption the study of the motivational structure of personality of adoptive parents is a distinguishing novelty and sufficient complexity in the theoretical and practical relations. Due to the increasing secondary orphanhood it becomes necessary to study this psychological component of the individual candidate who wants to take for education the orphan for prevent repeated failure of child. Psychological studies confirm that secondary orphanhood is traumatic for the child and leads to moral and psychological degradation. The article presents an actual problem of modern society – features of motivation of successful parent who has a foster child. It is revealed that in modern psychology there are no single diagnostic tools to determine the motivation of a parent. Thus, there are needs to describe the leading motives of adoptive parents: altruistic, pragmatic, normative, critical. The structure of the author's questionnaire for diagnosing these motifs has been marked. At the same time the disclosure of the individual orientation – manner and working – has been made with the help of diagnostics of the motivational structure of personality (V. D. Milman). Has been presented the results of the research of motivation of parents-women who live with adopted children longer than 1.5 years (children not over 14 years). As a result, it has been founded that successful foster parents have a manner orientation of the personality as a dominating and altruistic (and less normative) motivation of the person is identified as a leading.

Outness, Stigma, and Primary Health Care Utilization among Rural LGBT Populations.

BackgroundPrior studies have noted significant health disadvantages experienced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) populations in the US. While several studies have identified that fears or experiences of stigma and disclosure of sexual orientation and/or gender identity to health care providers are significant barriers to health care utilization for LGBT people, these studies have concentrated almost exclusively on urban samples. Little is known about the impact of stigma specifically for rural LGBT populations, who may have less access to quality, LGBT-sensitive care than LGBT people in urban centers.MethodologyLBGT individuals residing in rural areas of the United States were recruited online to participate in a survey examining the relationship between stigma, disclosure and “outness,” and utilization of primary care services. Data were collected and analyzed regarding LGBT individuals’ demographics, health care access, health risk factors, health status, outness to social contacts and primary care provider, and anticipated, internalized, and enacted stigmas.ResultsHigher scores on stigma scales were associated with lower utilization of health services for the transgender & non-binary group, while higher levels of disclosure of sexual orientation were associated with greater utilization of health services for cisgender men.ConclusionsThe results demonstrate the role of stigma in shaping access to primary health care among rural LGBT people and point to the need for interventions focused towards decreasing stigma in health care settings or increasing patients’ disclosure of orientation or gender identity to providers. Such interventions have the potential to increase utilization of primary and preventive health care services by LGBT people in rural areas.

Factors influencing the presence of sustainability initiatives in the strategic planning of Spanish universities

Sustainability issues in higher educational institutions have attracted increasing levels of attention from both the public and policy-makers in recent decades. Many studies have called for a more integration of sustainability into mainstream university operations and curricula. Nevertheless, the interest in sustainability issues has been more recent in the specific case of Spain. On this basis, the aim of this paper is to examine the main factors (size of universities, chairs related to sustainability, political orientation and sustainability disclosure) that might explain the presence of sustainability initiatives in Spanish universities. To accomplish this task, data were collected using a systematic content analysis of the published strategic plans of Spanish universities during the last decade. Two main findings were identified: first, the four variables chosen were not related to the presence or absence of sustainability initiatives in the strategic plans of Spanish universities, excepting the partial influence exerted by the size and political orientation. Second, there was a scarce presence of sustainability initiatives in the strategic plans of Spanish universities analysed.

Still in the closet: the invisible minority in medical education.

BackgroundTo investigate the relationship between sexual orientation and gender identity in regard to levels of depression; levels of perceived social support; comfort with disclosure of orientation; and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) campus climate.MethodsE-mail invitations to participate in the current cross-sectional questionnaire-based study were sent to all thirty US osteopathic medical schools in August 2012; six schools responded and disseminated the survey to their students. Participating students completed an anonymous web-based survey, and informed consent was obtained when they accessed the survey. The survey was designed specifically for the current study but contained scales used with permission from previously published research. Analysis procedures included nonparametric tests, one-way analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlations.ResultsOf the 4112 students invited to participate in the survey, 1334 (32.4%) completed it. Approximately 85% of respondents self-identified as heterosexual only. No respondents identified as transgender. In general, LGB students indicated higher levels of depression (P < .001), slightly lower levels of perceived social support (P < .001), and more discomfort with disclosure of sexual orientation (P < .001). A majority of students rated their campus climate as noninclusive.ConclusionsResults of the current study indicated a relationship between sexual orientation and depression, perceived social support, comfort with disclosure of orientation, and the LGBT campus climate in osteopathic medical students. In the future, osteopathic medical schools should consider closely examining their campus culture in order to create a more positive and inclusive environment for all its students.