Community Connections Among Emerging Adults with Sexual Minority Parents

Previous work has found that people with sexual minority parents form a connection to the LGBTQ + community (Goldberg, Kinkler, Richardson, & Downing, Citation2012). However, no empirical work has examined how these connections might compare to connections formed with others who have LGBTQ + parents. This study used a qualitative approach to examine connections formed by 15 emerging adults with sexual minority parents to (1) the LGBTQ + community and (2) a community of others with LGBTQ + parents as well as whether connections to these two communities served distinct functions. Participants were interviewed through using a semi-structured interview protocol and interview transcripts were coded using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, Citation2006). Results suggest that emerging adults with sexual minority parents form connections that vary in strength to both the LGBTQ + community and to a community of others with LGBTQ + parents. Additionally, participants described these connections as serving both overlapping and distinct roles in their lives. These findings indicate that connections to both communities should be considered as distinct constructs in future research and that professionals working with these emerging adults should consider supporting connections to both communities.

本研究旨在探讨拥有性少数父母的成年早期个体是否会基于与LGBTQ+父母的共同身份，形成一个独立于LGBTQ+社区之外的群体。研究围绕以下问题展开：拥有性少数父母的成年早期个体如何理解与LGBTQ+社区的联系基础和强度？他们是否认同一个由其他拥有LGBTQ+父母的个体组成的群体？如果认同，他们如何看待这两个群体之间的关系，认为它们是关联的还是独立的？

本研究的参与者为15名年龄在18至29岁之间的成年早期个体，均有一位或多位性少数父母。通过半结构化访谈，收集了参与者关于家庭背景、身份认同、应对污名化和社区经历等方面的数据。访谈内容主要探讨了参与者与LGBTQ+社区的联系、与其他有LGBTQ+父母个体的关系以及这些联系的异同。数据分析采用主题分析法，通过归纳的方式识别与研究问题相关的主题，并通过多编码者参与和外部审计员审核确保数据的可信度和有效性。

研究发现，拥有性少数父母的成年早期个体与LGBTQ+社区以及其他有LGBTQ+父母的人群体建立了有意义的联系。尽管这些联系的强度各异，大多数参与者认为这些联系带来了支持性的益处。参与者还描述了与这两个社区联系的独特作用和益处。研究建议，专业人士在与LGBTQ+家庭合作时，应鼓励建立群体联系，作为支持有LGBTQ+父母个体的资源。在推动这些联系时，专业人士应注意LGBTQ+社区和有LGBTQ+父母群体之间的细微差别。研究强调，将LGBTQ+社区的联系与与其他有LGBTQ+父母个体的联系视为独立的概念具有重要意义。未来的研究应关注交叉身份（如种族/民族身份、性别身份和社会阶层）如何影响群体联系的经历，以及群体联系对心理健康和福祉的影响。