Stigma and Stress among Transgender Women and Men

May 22nd, 2013  .  11 Comments

It is theorized that social stigma based on gender nonconformity plays a big role in the stigma surrounding transgender individuals. Stigma expressed as discrimination, harassment, and even violence can cause immense psychological distress to transgender individuals. In an attempt to better understand the specific stress reactions and gender differences to stigma-related stress among transgender people, Walter O. Bockting of the Department of Family... Read More

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Social Validation is One Benefit of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

May 3rd, 2013  .  6 Comments

The legalization of same-sex marriage has been a hot topic across the globe in recent months. Canada, Australia, and the United States are a few of several countries rallying to legalize same-sex marriage. According to Joanna Fishman, director of the Associated Relationship and Marriage Counselors of Sydney, Australia, a legal declaration of marriage is critical to the emotional well-being... Read More

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Serodiscordant Couples: Making It Work

May 1st, 2013  .  8 Comments

Keeping your needs and feelings secret can be disastrous in any relationship, but for those who find themselves in a serodiscordant relationship, it can lead to hurt feelings, misunderstandings, anxiety, and potentially risky behavior that could put both partners in serious jeopardy. A serodiscordant relationship is one in which one partner is ... Read More

Does Sexual Orientation Affect Eating Behaviors in Teens?

April 5th, 2013  .  4 Comments

Adolescents experience unique stressors. In addition to facing stress associated with family issues, childhood experiences, and academic concerns, they also face stress related to peer acceptance and identity formation. The teen years represent a time when children begin to discover who they are. They acknowledge their social, personal, and sexual identities. Also, children of various ethnic backgrounds may find themselves in settings with other ethnic groups... Read More

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Men Seeking Male Sex Partners Online Discuss Sex Practices More Easily

March 15th, 2013  .  5 Comments

The rates of HIV and STIs are alarmingly high among the gay and bisexual community. In New York City, the rates are even higher, as there is a large concentration of bisexual and gay men in New York. In an effort to combat this health dilemma, researchers have begun to look at ways in which men navigate online dating sites with respect to condom use and HIV/STI disclosure with online partners. The internet is a widely used tool for meeting ... Read More

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Childhood Adversity Contributes to Mental Health Issues in LGB Individuals

March 4th, 2013  .  5 Comments

According to a recent study led by Judith P. Andersen of the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto in Canada, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults are more likely to have experienced various forms of childhood adversity than their heterosexual peers. In her study, Andersen explored different forms of childhood adversity, including emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, divorce,... Read More

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Disclosing Bisexuality May Not Be Helpful for Bisexual Men

January 25th, 2013  .  6 Comments

For decades, research addressing the mental health of gay men has grouped bisexual and gay men together. This is a disservice to the LGBTQ community, and to bisexual men in particular. There are significant differences in behavior, identity, and attractions between gay and bisexual men. While gay men are attracted to other men and identify as homosexual, bisexual men can be attracted to either sex. And although it has been shown that disclosure of sexuality... Read More

Is Homophobia Contagious?

January 10th, 2013  .  7 Comments

According to a recent study, students who witness homophobic acts are more likely to engage in homophobic bullying than those who do not. Grabriele Prati, a professor of social psychology from the University of Bologna in Italy, led a study that examined whether homophobic acts predicted homophobic attitudes in students. Prati evaluated the behaviors and attitudes of 863 high school students from 10 separate high schools. The participants were measured for levels of peer violence... Read More

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‘I’m Not One of Them’: Why People at Risk for HIV Don’t Get Tested

January 7th, 2013  .  10 Comments

The stigma surrounding HIV has diminished drastically since it first appeared in mainstream nearly three decades ago. People no longer where face masks when they come in contact with an HIV positive client. And HIV positive people rarely suffer the public degradation and humiliation they did before. Education about the disease has contributed greatly to this shift. It has been well established that HIV/AIDs cannot be passed from one person to another through casual contact or by breathing the same air. However, sexual contact, blood transfusions,... Read More

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Faith Can Increase Resiliency in Black Sexual Minority Youth

January 3rd, 2013  .  6 Comments

Most people first become aware of their sexuality during their teen years. For sexual minority youth, recognizing their sexuality and embracing it may occur at different times. Because of the stigma associated with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, many choose to conceal their sexuality. Others feel pressured by family members, community, or religious affiliations,... Read More

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DSM Bids Goodbye to Gender Identity Disorder, Hello to Gender Dysphoria

December 22nd, 2012  .  6 Comments

Gender identity disorder, commonly associated with transgenderism, is a mental health diagnosis listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—for now. The decades-long target of intense and relentless criticism by advocacy groups, the diagnosis will disappear from the newly revised DSM-V, replaced by the diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Gender Identity Disorder vs.... Read More

Topic Expert Roundup: Therapists React to DSM Changes with Concern

December 17th, 2012  .  2 Comments

The newly revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the all-important guidebook used to identify and diagnose a wide variety of psychological issues, is the product of nearly two decades of deliberation among mental health professionals. And yet, some insist, they still couldn’t get it right. Predictably, many therapists are not pleased with the results. Among the most controversial changes to the DSM are the elimination of Asperger’s... Read More

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Not a Fan of the DSM-V … or Its Predecessors

December 14th, 2012  .  4 Comments

I have to confess at the outset that I am not a fan of DSM anything. I have no wish to criticize the hundreds of hard-working individuals who have devoted many hours of their lives to rewriting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—a thankless task if there ever was one—but I wish they had directed their talents and energies elsewhere. Perhaps they do, too, sometimes. Although there is value to precise psychological and psychiatric definitions of... Read More

Anti-Victimization Programs: a Matter of Life and Death for Trans Youth

December 12th, 2012  .  4 Comments

Adolescents can be cruel to one another. For teens who are part of a cultural, ethnic, or sexual minority, risk of victimization increases. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual students are particularly vulnerable to hostility and aggression, putting them at even further risk of deleterious mental and physical health outcomes. Although there is an abundance of work devoted to the effects of bullying and victimization among LGBTQ... Read More

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