Suzanne C. Ouellette

Gay and lesbian Christians : Homosexual and religious identity integration in the members and participants of a gay-positive Church

In this study we explore individual s experiences of identity integration between their sexual orientation and religious beliefs. Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, we examined identity integration in forty members and participants of the Metropolitan Community Church of New York (MCC/NY), a gay-positive church located in Mid-town Manhattan. The survey and interview data collected showed that: (1)a majority of the research participants reported that they had successfully integrated their homosexual and religious identities, (2) being integrated was related to higher role involvement at MCC/NY, being a member of the church, attending more MCC/NY worship services and activities/ministries, and attending MCC/NY for more years, (3) lesbians were less likely than gay men to report past conflict between their identities, and more likely to report being fully integrated, and (4) MCC/NY played an important role in helping these participants achieve integration between their homosexual and religious identities.

Measuring identity multiplicity and intersectionality: Hierarchical Classes Analysis (HICLAS) of sexual, racial, and gender identities

We propose an innovative approach for measuring identity multiplicity and intersectionality—Hierarchical Classes Analysis (HICLAS) of an Assessment of Multiple Identities. This method allows researchers to assess characteristics of individual identities and model implicit interrelationships between multiple identities held by an individual. We found support for the validity of this approach through analysis of sexual, racial, and gender identities among 40 lesbian, gay, or bisexually identified (LGB) participants. As hypothesized, poorer mental health indicators were significantly associated with greater negative valence of sexual identity and greater negative self-complexity in HICLAS. HICLAS also allowed us to discern subgroup differences indicative of intersectionality (e.g., in this LGB sample, more African American participants than White participants showed interconnected sexual and racial identities).

A qualitative analysis of acute skin toxicity among breast cancer radiotherapy patients

Objectives: One of the most common acute side effects of breast cancer radiotherapy is treatment‐induced skin changes, referred to as skin toxicity. Yet no research to date has focused expressly on skin toxicity‐related quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer radiotherapy patients. Therefore, our aim was to use qualitative approaches to better understand the impact of skin toxicity on QOL.

A Qualitative Approach to the Intersection of Sexual, Ethnic, and Gender Identities

This article reports on a qualitative strategy designed to study the intersection of sexual, ethnoracial, and gender identities, and how people who hold those identities interact with social contexts. Researchers often study identities as isolated constructs (e.g., “Latino,” “gay”) and by using separate measures to characterize each construct. This approach may be helpful depending on the questions asked, but it can also miss important elements of a self-system, such as those that stem from the intersection of identities or from peoples interactions with social contexts. The strategy suggested in this article can help researchers overcome these limitations. It allows researchers to study how people craft their identities over time, through recurring and sometimes conflicted negotiations with institutional settings such as those of the church, family, and work.

Breast Cancer Patients' Experience of External-Beam Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is a critical component of treatment for the majority of women with breast cancer, particularly those who receive breast conserving surgery. Although medically beneficial, radiotherapy can take a physical and psychological toll on patients. However, little is known about the specific thoughts and feelings experienced by women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy. Therefore, the study aim was to use qualitative research methods to develop an understanding of these thoughts and feelings based on 180 diary entries completed during radiotherapy by 15 women with stage 0 to stage III breast cancer. Thematic analysis identified four primary participant concerns: (a) a preoccupation with time, (b) fantasies (both optimistic and pessimistic) about life following radiotherapy, (c) the toll their side-effect experience takes on their self-esteem, and (d) feeling mystified by radiotherapy. These themes are consistent with previous literature on illness and identity. These findings have implications for the treatment and care of women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy.