Neena M. Malik

Sexuality related social support among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (“LGB”) youth may face significant stressors related to their sexual orientation. Few studies, however, have examined youth’s experiences of support for coping with these stressors. The current study compared LGB youth’s perceptions of support for sexuality stress to their support for other types of problems. The links between sexuality stress, sexuality support, and emotional distress were also examined. Ninety-eight LGB youth (ages 18–21, 33% female) rated support from family, heterosexual friends, and sexual minority friends for dealing with problems related, and not related, to their sexuality. From family and heterosexual friends, support for sexuality stress was less available than support for other stressors. Sexual minority friends provided the highest levels of sexuality support. In regression analyses, higher levels of sexuality support related to decreased emotional distress and buffered against the negative effects of sexuality stress on emotional distress. Sexuality support, although less available than other types of support, may be especially relevant to mental health among LGB youth.

Risk for maternal depression and child aggression in Early Head Start families: A test of ecological models

Current literature indicates that risk for maternal depression is substantial in low-income families. A large body of research also indicates that when mothers are depressed, children are at risk for a number of developmental difficulties. While mutual influence between child and parental difficulties has been noted, few studies examine risk factors for both depression and child aggression within ecological models. The present cross-site study examined the unique and additive contributions of contextual factors, including SES and family functioning, on maternal depression and child aggression in Early Head Start families. A multiethnic sample of parents and their children, between the ages of 12 and 43 months, participated in this study. Families came from five Early Head Start programs across the United States, representing both urban and rural areas. Structural equation models (SEM) demonstrate mutual links between depression and aggression, mediated at least in part by ecological factors. SEM indicated that 36.4% of the variance in child aggression is accounted for in a model linking aggressive behavior to parent depression, stress, and couple-level functioning, as well as other family interaction variables. A second model focusing on maternal depression revealed that 44.5% of the variance in maternal depression was accounted for through family factors, including couple-related support and satisfaction and parenting stress. In this second model, child aggression was indirectly linked to maternal depression. These data have important implications for programs serving at-risk families.

Victimization, Family Rejection, and Outcomes of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Young People: The Role of Negative GLB Identity

Victimization and family rejection of sexual orientation are two salient stressors facing gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) young people. While initial research has established a link between these sexuality-related stressors and GLB youths’ mental health outcomes, the factors that underlie this relationship remain unclear. The current study examines the role of negative GLB identity (i.e., negative feelings about ones own sexual orientation) in mediating the relationship between sexuality-related stress (i.e., victimization, family rejection) and youth outcomes (i.e., internalizing problems, substance use, and cigarette smoking). Participants included 81 GLB young people (ages 14 to 25 years) recruited through college groups, youth organizations, study advertisements, and friend referrals. Path analyses revealed that victimization and family rejection experiences were related to youths internalizing problems via negative GLB identity. However, stressors and health risk behaviors were not related through negative GLB identity, although some direct relationships between stressors, substance use, and smoking emerged. Limitations and implications of the present study are discussed.

Parental Reactions to Their Child's Sexual Orientation Disclosure: A Family Stress Perspective

SYNOPSIS Existing theories of child and family development have rarely been applied to the families of same-sex-attracted young people. This review employs family stress theory as a framework to understand parental reactions to their childs sexual orientation disclosure and the impact of parental reactions on child and family development. Empirical evidence is reviewed to support the notion that parental reactions may depend on (1) the availability of family-based resources to manage the stress, (2) the meaning attributed to the stressful event, and (3) the pileup of co-occurring stressors taxing a familys coping resources. Empirical links between parental reactions and child outcomes are also discussed. There is need for research on individual, dyadic, and family factors that influence parental responses to their childs same-sex attractions.

Exposure to Domestic and Community Violence in a Nonrisk Sample: Associations With Child Functioning

Limited data exist on the unique, additive, and interactive effects of exposure to domestic and community violence on childrens functioning, particularly in community samples. This study examined relations between childrens violence exposure, at home and in the community, and symptoms of externalizing and internalizing problems. Parents reported on domestic violence in the home, and children reported on community violence. Concurrent child functioning was measured through parent and teacher reports on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and child self-reports on the Childrens Depression Inventory. A multi-ethnic sample of 117 children, aged 8 to 12 years, and their parents and teachers participated. Community violence was related to all measures of childrens adjustment, whereas exposure to domestic violence was related only to CBCL externalizing problems. Teacher reports of child aggression were predicted by child age, community violence, and the interaction of community and domestic violence. Implications for research and clinical intervention are discussed.

Couple power dynamics, systemic family functioning, and child adjustment: A test of a mediational model in a multiethnic sample

Power dynamics in the marital dyad and systemic elements of whole-family functioning (cohesion, subsystem boundary formations) were examined in relation to each other and also in relation to child adjustment in a multiethnic sample of families. Support was found for a mediational model, such that family functioning was found to mediate the relationship between marital power dynamics and childrens internalizing and externalizing behavior. Some support also was found for ethnicity as a moderator of the association between systemic family processes and childrens adjustment. Disturbances in family cohesion and subsystem boundaries were more strongly related to internalizing symptomatology for children in European American families compared to children in Hispanic American families.

The Role of Religion and Stress in Sexual Identity and Mental Health Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth

This study investigated religious stress, gay-related stress, sexual identity, and mental health outcomes in lesbian, gay and bisexual adolescents and emerging adults. The model examined negative LGB identity as a mediator of the relationships between a) religious stress and mental health, and b) gay-related stress and mental health. The data indicated that negative LGB identity fully accounted for both relationships. Findings suggest that a negative sense of sexual identity for LGB youth helps explain the links between religious and gay-related stressors and mental health. As LGB youth may have limited control over these stressors, the importance of helping LGB youth maintain a positive LGB identity, despite homonegative messages from others, is discussed.

The early promotion and intervention research consortium (E‐PIRC): Five approaches to improving infant/toddler mental health in Early Head Start

One planned consequence of the national Infant Mental Health Forum held in the United States in 2000 was the funding of five research projects conducted in Early Head Start (EHS) programs. Each project strengthened existing programs by integrating infant/toddler mental health approaches and testing the outcomes on infant/toddler development, behavior, and parent-child interactions. In two of the projects, the effect of offering enrichment for EHS staff was tested. The other three projects tested the effect of services offered directly to parents and children. This article describes the five projects and the theories, methods, and outcome measures used. In order to understand more fully the elevated risk factors in these families and the consequences for mental health in their infants and toddlers, a common set of measures was developed. Data have been used to explore the common threats to mental health and the factors that moderate the impact on infants and toddlers.

Peer Crowd Affiliations of Adult Gay Men: Linkages With Health Risk Behaviors

The social networks of adult gay men play important roles in both the promotion and prevention of health risk. The current investigation had 2 primary goals. First, this study examined the existence of gay peer crowds using the opinions of a large (N 340) online sample of self-identified gay men. Second, it explored how these peer crowd affiliations may be differentially related to health risk. All participants provided demographic information, opinions regarding the existence of gay peer crowds, and subjective ratings of identification with each crowd. Information regarding marijuana and other drug use, binge drinking, smoking, unprotected sex, and steroid use was also collected. The majority of men surveyed believed in the existence of gay peer crowds. Identifying with Circuit Partiers, Bears, Muscle Boys, Granolas, and Goths was related to adverse health behaviors. Low-risk peer crowd affiliations included Suburbans, Professionals, Twinks, and Activists. These effects were above and beyond those of age, income, and education. Implications for future research and intervention efforts with gay men are discussed.

Coordinated Community Response to Family Violence: The Role of Domestic Violence Service Organizations

There is increasing awareness that domestic violence (DV) and child maltreatment often overlap and that there are significant negative consequences to women and children who are victims in the same families. The present study contains data from a participatory evaluation of a multisite national demonstration project on family violence (the Greenbook Initiative), funded jointly by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice. The goal of this initiative was to increase community capacity to assist dually victimized families. This article focuses on the DV service organizations in the demonstration with regard to collaborations with other agencies and work within the DV system to respond to dually victimized families. Findings suggest that DV agencies participated in leadership roles, cross-system collaborations, and cross-system trainings throughout the initiative. Within-agency practice changes were less apparent. Research and policy implications are discussed.