Microaggression and discrimination experiences among diverse youth with LGBTQ+ parents in the United States.

Family-based microaggressions and discrimination experienced by youth with LGBTQ+ parents are important to understand from their perspectives. Using mixed methods, we examined such experiences among 12- to 25-year-old youth (N = 51) with at least one LGBTQ+ parent in the United States. Youth were diverse in race/ethnicity, family structure, gender and sexual identities, socioeconomic status, and geographic region. Using interviews, we explored LGBTQ+ family-based microaggressions (reported through scale items with feedback) and discrimination (assessed via thematic analysis). Microaggressions and discrimination based on having LGBTQ+ parents were common, yet there were distinctions in direct and indirect stigma across the quantitative items and qualitative themes. These results underscore the value of mixed methods research with youth and implications for future research, practice, and policy.

Tech-Mediated and Traditional Communication Modes in Adult Adoptees' Contact With Birth Parents.

OBJECTIVE: To understand how adult adoptees use traditional and tech-mediated modes of communication in contact with birth parents. To examine associations between desire for increased use of both modes and quality of relationship. BACKGROUND: As tech-mediated modes of communication become more commonplace, it is important to understand their implications for family relationship quality. Limited research has examined the use of tech-mediated modes of communication between adult adoptees and birth parents. METHOD: Participants (M age = 31 years) were adopted as infants (N = 90). Participants reported their current and desired future use of traditional and tech-mediated communication modes and their satisfaction with contact, current closeness, desired future closeness, and psychological presence of birth parents. RESULTS: Those with current contact reported using both traditional and tech-mediated modes of communication. Desired increase of traditional modes was associated with greater psychological presence and desired future closeness with birth mothers, while both traditional and tech-mediated were associated with these outcomes for birth fathers. CONCLUSION: Adult adoptees use both traditional and tech-mediated modes of communication with their birth parents. However, these modes may play distinct roles in maintaining close relationships with birth parents. IMPLICATIONS: Family professionals should consider the unique roles traditional and tech-mediated modes of communication may play when supporting adult adoptees in contact with birth relatives.

Relational Competence in Emerging Adult Adoptees: Conceptualizing Competence in Close Relationships.

Little research has focused on the positive adjustment of emerging adult adoptees (Palacios & Brodzinsky, 2010). Given the developmental context of emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000), it is important to select an indicator of adjustment that reflects the associated ambiguity. The present study aims to provide empirical support for the construct of relational competence, or competence in one's closest relationship regardless of relationship type (i.e., romantic vs. nonromantic) among emerging adult adoptees. Participants included 162 adoptees who had been adopted before the age of one in the United States through private domestic adoption in to same-race families. Relational competence was measured by adapting a measure of romantic competence in emerging adulthood (Shulman, Davila, & Shachar-Shapira, 2011). Indicators of relational competence were coded from interviews in which participants discussed their self-identified closest relationship (White, Speisman, Jackson, Bartis & Costos, 1986). Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the proposed model of relational competence was a good fit to the data and was invariant across relationship type and gender. No differences in relational competence scores were found by relationship type or by gender (all p's >. 552). Relational competence was positively associated with adaptive functioning (ß = .325, p = .006) and negatively associated with internalizing (ß = -.246, p = .035) and externalizing behavior (ß = -.347, p = .003).

Microaggressions, Feelings of Difference, and Resilience Among Adopted Children with Sexual Minority Parents.

Limited research exists about the unique experiences and possible marginalization of children with sexual minority parents. From a larger longitudinal project of diverse adoptive families, we examined cross-sectional data using mixed methods from interviews with 49 adopted children (M age = 8 years; 47% female) in 27 two-father and 22 two-mother families. Using thematic analysis, we coded themes of awareness of difference, microaggressions, and resilience (i.e., coping and positive family conceptualizations). Children experienced "feeling different" and microaggressions from peers, but generally at a low to medium intensity and with neutral (not negative) emotion. More instances of resilience and positive family conceptualizations were reported than microaggressions or feelings of difference, suggesting that children develop positive perceptions of their family and navigate experiences of difference with resilience. Filling important gaps in the literature, we discuss implications of our results for practice and policy.