Parenting Stress Among Sexual Minority Parents: Gender, Race, Custody Status, Timing of Coming Out, and Level of Outness

1 online resource (141 pages) : PDF

2016

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between parenting stress among sexual minority parents and their gender, race, legal custody status, timing of coming out relative to becoming a parent, and level of outness. A total of 833 sexual minority parents were included in this internet survey research study. A snowball sample was recruited through LGBTQ-friendly organizations, social media, gay pride events, and personal networks. Participants completed an anonymous internet survey which included the Parental Stress Scale, the Outness Inventory, and a demographic questionnaire. A 3-step hierarchical regression was conducted to analyze the data. Sexual minority parents’ gender accounted for 1% of the variance in their parenting stress. Legal custody status and timing of coming out did not add significant variance after controlling for gender and race. Level of outness added 1% of unique variance in parenting stress after controlling for gender, race, custody status, and timing of coming out. Continued study is warranted regarding the explanatory influence of gender and outness on parenting stress, as the relatively small effects found in this study may be amplified in a sample with more fathers represented and with greater variability in level of outness. It is imperative to further professional understanding of adaptive processes for sexual minority parents, such as outness, that can improve their parenting experiences in a heterosexually dominated culture.

doctoral dissertations

Counseling psychology
Queer studies
Families--Study and teaching

Ph.D.

Counseling

Post, Phyllis

Harris, Henry
Abrams, Lyndon
Flowers, Claudia
Leland, Suzanne

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2016.

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For additional information, see http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/.

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Martin_uncc_0694D_11241