Religious faith plays a central role in the lives of many people. Although studies and anecdotal literature have explored the conflict between sexual and religious identities, no research has investigated the role of faith group affirmation of a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) identity on the mental health of LGB members. This study compared 2…

Examined the relationship among parental attachment, sexual self-disclosure to parents, and dysfunctional cognitions in a sample of 113 gay and lesbian adults. Results indicate that secure attachment to mother and father were positively associated with disclosure to parents and negatively associated with self-reports of dysfunctional cognitions.…

Study uses the minority-stress theory to develop models of antecedents and outcomes of heterosexism in the workplace. Experiencing heterosexism was associated with adverse psychological, health, and job-related outcomes, thus supporting the minority-stress theory. This theory is further discussed in light of the mental-health history of…

Analyses revealed that therapists responded with less empathy, attributed less responsibility to client for problem solving, assessed client's functioning to be worse, and were less willing to work with client when the client's source of HIV infection was from something other than drugs, when the client was gay, and when the therapist was more…

This study examined the relationships between workplace heterosexism, unsupportive social interactions (negative responses from others concerning one's experience of heterosexism), and adjustment among 97 employed lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Results revealed that heterosexism and unsupportive social interactions were each related…

Examined male and female counselors' countertransference reactions to lesbian versus heterosexual client actresses, and the role of counselor homophobia and countertransference management ability in countertransference reactions. Counselors did not exhibit more countertransference with lesbian clients. Countertransference management did not…

Examined male counselors' reactions to gay and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected clients. Findings from 34 counselors revealed that counselors experienced greater discomfort with HIV-infected that HIV-negative clients, and counselors' homophobia predicted their discomfort with gay male clients. Client sexual orientation did not affect…

Used an illusory correlation paradigm to measure stereotyping by mental health professionals on the processing of information about individuals. Mental health professionals (N=34) were presented cards that identified hypothetical persons according to sex and sexual preference. Results showed stereotyping did affect the processing of information.…

Examined the effect of membership group and attitudinal similarity on perceived counselor credibility and attractiveness. Homosexual men (N=84) rated the counselor's credibility and attractiveness after listening to a recorded counseling interview. The counselor was rated more expert, trustworthy, and attractive when he stated a sexual preference…

Two expanded models (i.e., mediated and moderated) of the theory of work adjustment (TWA; R. V. Dawis, G. England, & L. H. Lofquist, 1964; R. V. Dawis & L. H. Lofquist, 1984) were tested for their capacity to explain the job satisfaction of a sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual employees (N=397). Consistent with cultural critiques of the…

Four studies on the development and validation of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale for Heterosexuals (LGB-KASH) were conducted. Exploratory factor analysis of an initial item pool yielded 5 factors assessing internalized affirmativeness, civil rights attitudes, knowledge, religious conflict, and hate--indicating that…

Lesbian and gay volunteers (N=392) described their experiences with 923 therapists. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual therapists of both genders, and heterosexual female therapists, were rated more helpful than heterosexual male therapists. Participants also reported whether each therapist exhibited nine negative and four positive practices; such…

A model linking attachment variables with self-acceptance and self-disclosure of sexual orientation was tested using data from 489 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. The model included the following 4 domains of variables: (a) representations of childhood attachment experiences with parents, (b) perceptions of parental support for sexual…

Five studies on the development of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Affirmative Counseling Self-Efficacy Inventory (LGB-CSI) were conducted. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of an initial pool of 64 items yielded 5 factors that assess counselor self-efficacy to perform lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) affirmative counseling behaviors…