Abstract

Outness can be associated with benefits for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, such as better mental health and increased self-esteem, but little is known about its predictors. Family functioning and family social support are important for many youth outcomes, though their relationship with outness is unknown. This study explored whether family functioning and family social support predicted youth outness longitudinally. Family functioning consisted of flexibility (ability to shift roles and rules in response to change), cohesion (closeness between family members), and communication. In addition to examining direct links with outness, sexuality specific and non-sexuality specific family social support were examined as mediators of the relationship between family functioning and outness, testing the hypothesis that only sexuality specific support would be significant. Data were used from a longitudinal study of LGB youth (N = 168). As predicted, adaptive family functioning was associated with outness one year later; this relationship was mediated by sexuality specific family social support, but not non-sexuality specific family social support. Results are discussed in relation to current events (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) that disproportionately impact LGB youth. Future research may investigate how to assist families in providing sexuality specific support.

摘要

外向可能与女同性恋、男同性恋和双性恋 (LGB) 青年的好处相关，例如更好的心理健康和更高的自尊，但对其预测因素知之甚少。家庭功能和家庭社会支持对许多青年成果很重要，尽管它们与健康状况的关系尚不清楚。本研究探讨了家庭功能和家庭社会支持是否可以纵向预测青少年的外向性。家庭功能包括灵活性（根据变化改变角色和规则的能力）、凝聚力（家庭成员之间的亲密关系）和沟通。除了检查与外出的直接联系外，还检查了性取向和非性取向特定的家庭社会支持作为家庭功能与外出之间关系的中介，检验只有性支持才是重要的假设。数据来自对 LGB 青年的纵向研究（N  = 168）。正如预测的那样，适应性家庭功能与一年后的异常状态有关；这种关系是由特定性取向的家庭社会支持调节的，而不是非特定性取向的家庭社会支持调节的。讨论结果与对 LGB 青年造成不成比例影响的时事（例如 Covid-19 大流行）有关。未来的研究可能会调查如何帮助家庭提供针对性的支持。