The way in which parents or guardians respond to a youth’s sexual orientation profoundly influences the child’s mental health as an adult, say researchers at San Francisco State University, whose findings appear in Monday’s journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, reports the AP. The study shows that teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as vulnerable to severe depression and more than three times at risk of drug use. In terms of rejection, “we saw that in so many cases, families and caregivers thought what they were doing would help their children have a better life, fit in, belong and be accepted by others,” said Caitlin Ryan, a social worker who directs the university’s Family Acceptance Project. “They’d try to change their gender identity, forbid them from spending time with a gay friend, not let them have access to information about what it’s like to be a gay, lesbian or bisexual person.” Ryan recommends that medical professionals ask young patients how their families have reacted to their sexual orientations and tell parents that negative reactions may prove harmful even if well-intentioned
A other survey of lesbian, gay and bisexual teenagers and doctors.
A survey of lesbian, gay and bisexual teenagers found that 70 % said most people they knew were aware of their sexual orientation, but only 35 % reported that their doctor knew, according to a new study by the RAND Corporation and UCLA. “We knew that the sample that we chose was going to be a very ‘out’ sample,” Dr. Garth D. Meckler, lead author of the study, said. “We figured they would have a higher disclosure rate than most youth, and yet, despite being out to almost everyone in their lives, only 35 % had told their doctor about their sexual orientation… Very few physicians were regularly discussing sexuality, even though sex is one of the major developmental challenges and health risks at that age.” Other reasons the teenagers gave for not disclosing their sexual orientation included: the fact that their parents were in the exam room with them; fear that the doctor would tell their parents their orientation; embarrassment; and fear that their doctor would disapprove.
