Despite shifts towards inclusivity of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community, many LGB young people still report not feeling accepted in their families and communities (Human Rights Campaign, 2012). Research shows that parental acceptance can have a positive effect on LGB young adult’s mental and physical health (Espelage, Aragon, & Birkett, 2008; Ryan, Russell, Huebner, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2010). Therefore, how parents react to their child coming out as LGB can have an effect on their child’s wellbeing. Using a newly developed conceptual model that captures the diverse experiences of parents who have a LGB child, this dissertation examined why parents react the way they do when their child comes out as LGB. The purpose of this study was to 1) validate and refine a portion of a newly developed conceptual model that focuses on parental reactions to LGB disclosure and 2) conduct a content validity study that refines a newly developed measure that captures parents’ perceptions about their LGB child’s sexual identity development. The first manuscript examined the findings from an exploratory, phenomenological study, which consisted of two phases. The first phase included a focus group of six LGB college students who discussed their coming out experiences. The results from the focus group and conceptual model informed the development of a parent interview protocol used during the second phase of the study. The second phase included semi-structured interviews with twenty Midwest parents. Results from the deductive thematic analysis demonstrated that the newly developed conceptual model mapped onto the experiences of parents who have a LGB child. The second manuscript used a mixed method design. The first phase of the study used an inductive thematic approach to examine parents’ perceptions of their child’s sexual identity development. Findings from the first phase were then used to create a measure that captured parents’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to their LGB child’s sexual identity development. A panel of nine content and lay experts provided substantive feedback on the measure, which included having them rate each measure item as to whether it was clear and representative of the content domain. Item-level and scale-level content validity index averages were calculated. Based on the results from the content validity study, along with experts’ qualitative feedback, various items were refined. Taken together, the findings from both studies demonstrate that parents’ reactions are complex. Their reactions depend on their environment, current relationships, and even past experiences. Even among accepting parents, their reactions are often filled with fear rather than excitement for their child’s future. Therefore, it is critical that parents explain that their emotional response do not mean they do not love and support their child but rather are rooted in the fear they have about how the child will be treated by a heteronormative society. Additionally, parents possess misconceptions about sexual identity development. Thus, there is a need for more resources and supports that educate parents about sexual identity development and how to become a stronger advocate in their local community. Having such supports is vital to promoting supportive and healthy family relationships especially between LGB youth and their parents.
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