GLB Individuals Research Articles

Sexual revictimization among sexual minorities: A preliminary study

The present study examined patterns of sexual assault and its psychological correlates among gay men, lesbians, and bisexual men and women (GLB). A community sample of 342 GLB individuals completed questionnaires assessing victimization history and psychological functioning. Nearly 63% of participants reported some form of sexual assault, and nearly 40% reported sexual revictimization, defined as contact or penetrative sexual assault reported in both childhood and adulthood. Gay men and bisexual men and women were more likely to report sexual revictimization than lesbians. Sexual victimization was associated with greater psychological distress, with sexually revictimized individuals reporting the highest levels of psychological symptomatology. The implications of these findings are discussed, and suggestions for future directions are offered.

Student perspectives on training in gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues: A survey of behavioral clinical psychology programs

Practicing psychologists frequently are asked to provide services to individuals whose backgrounds may differ from their own. Education in multicultural issues increasingly is being considered an important component of doctoral training programs. This article discusses the results of a survey of behavioral doctoral students concerning their graduate training on gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) issues. The results indicate that participants (a) have received minimal training in GLB issues, (b) feel inadequate in working with GLB individuals, and (c) express significantly more favorable attitudes toward gay men than a sample from the general population. Included are recommendations for improving training in sexual orientation issues in behavioral clinical psychology programs.

Integrating gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues into mainstream psychology.

Despite the growing clinical and research literature dealing with gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) issues, mainstream psychology has tended to ignore much of the work that has been done in this area. This article illustrates how clinical and research writings on GLB issues continue to remain invisible to mainstream psychology in such areas as life span development and aging, teenage suicide, substance abuse, victimization and abuse, and family and couple relationships. It also deals with some of the determinants of well-being among GLB individuals, such as family support, and notes the benefits accruing to mainstream psychology from studying GLB issues. A network of family members within psychology having GLB relatives has been formed--AFFIRM: Psychologist Affirming Their Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Family--and is dedicated to supporting its own family members, encouraging other family members to do likewise, supporting research and clinical work on GLB issues, and closing the gap between GLB clinical and research work and mainstream psychology.