Disclosing One's Non-Heterosexual Sexual Orientation at Work in 2020: A Survey of Quebec LGBQ Workers.

Concealing one's non-heterosexual orientation (NHO) remains a protection strategy against workplace discrimination used by many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ+) individuals. This article explores four sets of correlates (identity and individual trajectory, social support, professional position, and structural and cultural work context) relative to three levels of outness (total, partial, and null). Online cross-sectional data of 2,106 LGBQ+ participants from Quebec (Canada) showed that 27% reported total outness, while 64% reported partial outness, and 9%, null outness. Multinomial hierarchical regression analyses revealed that each set of correlates significantly contributed to levels of workplace NHO outness. The two sets of variables making the largest contributions to levels of outness were those pertaining to identity and individual trajectory (14% of the variance) and structural and cultural work context (9%). Compared to partial outness, null outness was associated with an unaccepting work climate, while total outness was more likely in contexts with organizational support (e.g., with the presence of an inclusivity policy). Without trivializing the influence of non-workplace factors on outness levels, the present findings support the need to develop an inclusive and accepting work climate for LGBQ+ individuals.

'Once you open that Pandora's box, you cannot close it': a qualitative study on family relationships following insemination fraud.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Insemination fraud occurs when the spermatozoa intended for insemination have been intentionally swapped for another person's without the knowledge of the intended family. In what ways is this experienced by recipient parents and their offspring? DESIGN: This was a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 15 participants (seven parents and eight donor-conceived individuals) affected by insemination fraud involving the same doctor in Canada. RESULTS: This study documents how insemination fraud is experienced by recipient parents and (their) offspring at the personal and relational levels. At the personal level, insemination fraud can induce a sense of agency loss for the recipient parents and a (temporary) sense of identity realignment for the offspring. At the relational level, it can lead to a reshuffling of genetic ties through the new genetic mapping it involves. This reshuffling can, in turn, disrupt kinship ties, leaving a deep imprint that some families struggle to overcome. Experiences differ depending on whether or not the progenitor is known, and when he is known, on whether it is another donor or the doctor himself. CONCLUSIONS: Given the significant challenges that insemination fraud poses to the families who experience it, it is important that this practice be subjected to the medical, legal and social scrutiny it deserves.

Family Functioning and the Pandemic: How Do Parental Perceived Social Support and Mental Health Contribute to Family Health?

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine measures implemented have profoundly impacted parents and families. The stress and uncertainty generated by the COVID-19 virus, as well as the disruption of routines and social relationships, have weakened both individual and family health and functioning. OBJECTIVE: The present research is part of a larger study that aims to understand, with a family systems theory, the longitudinal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-aged children, adolescents, and their parents. More specifically, this paper aims to investigate parents' experience of the first months of the pandemic as a predictor of perceived social support, parental ill-being (aggregate score of well-established poor psychological functioning indicators), parental satisfaction, and family functioning. METHOD: During the first lockdown (April-May 2020), 203 parents of school-aged children living in Quebec completed an online questionnaire. RESULTS: Path analysis indicates that the impact of COVID-19 and health preoccupation due to COVID-19 are both positively associated with individual parental ill-being, which in turn detracts from family functioning and parental satisfaction. Furthermore, perceptions about positive effects of the pandemic are negatively associated with parental ill-being, and positively with perceived social support, which in turn significantly contributes to family functioning and parental satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the importance of adopting a systemic perspective to best understand the effects of the pandemic and the social and health measures on individuals, families, and systems, as well as to better support parents and family health through periods of uncertainty.

Intersectional Analysis of the Life Course of LGBTQ+ Parent Families in Québec: Partial and Homonormative Inclusion.

Over the past 20 years, Québec has seen significant legislative changes that have led to an increase in the number of families with LGBTQ+ parents. Moreover, Québec has been a pioneer in recognizing LGBTQ+ families since 2002 with Bill 84. In fact, no nation had gone as far in terms of recognition. However, despite this avant-garde legal context, which has made it possible for many same-sex couples to establish their families with greater ease and recognition, unequal access to this institution still affects LGBTQ+ parents. In fact, these parents do not all experience the same realities, and the possibilities for forming a family remain complex for many, especially for trans and non-binary parents. Based on 38 in-depth interviews with LGBTQ+ parents, this article explores the multiple forms of families and the different experiences of oppressions these families encounter based on their different social locations. These data are part of the important SAVIE-LGBTQ research partnership (SSHRC 2016-2023), which aims to identify the different experiences of inclusion and exclusion encountered by LGBTQ+ communities in Québec.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Quality of Life: Experiences Contributing to and Harming the Well-Being of Canadian Children and Adolescents.

The pandemic's restrictive measures such as lockdowns, social distancing, and the wearing of masks transformed young people's daily lives and brought up major concerns regarding children's and adolescents' well-being. This longitudinal mixed study aims to identify how different experiences contributed to children's and adolescents' well-being through different stages of the pandemic. The sample comprises 149 Canadian youth from Quebec who shared their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and adolescents were met virtually for semi-directed interviews about their well-being at three measurement time (T1: May 2020 lockdown, T2: July 2020 progressive reopening, and T3: beginning of the second wave). At T3, they also completed a questionnaire measuring their quality of life. Our findings indicated that 22% reported a low level of well-being (N: 32), 66% a normal level of well-being (N: 90), and 18% a high level of well-being (N: 27). The comparative thematic analysis of the discourse of these three groups allows us to identify experiences that are favorable and unfavorable to the well-being of young people and to distinguish two configurations of interactions between children and their environment over the first year of the pandemic, namely that of young people who report a high level of well-being and that of those who report a worrying level of well-being. Results highlight the importance of activities, relationships, support, and representations of children and adolescents for their well-being in the pandemic context. Interventions and social measures to better support their well-being are discussed.

Social resource patterns and health outcomes among Canadian LGBTQ2+ adults: A latent class analysis.

BACKGROUND: Decades of research have shown a strong association between wellbeing, health, and social resources. LGBTQ2+ communities are among those who historically have been excluded from accessing quality social resources. However, little is known about how access to different types of resources influences mental health and wellbeing. METHOD: Data were drawn from an online sample of 3890 LGBTQ2+ people aged 18 years and older in Quebec, Canada. We identified key social resource patterns (from family of origin, friends, partner, neighbourhood, and LGBTQ2+ community) and investigated differences in socio-demographic and health outcomes across classes. RESULTS: A five-class solution best fitted the data, highlighting distinctive patterns in access to five key social resources: moderate friend support access (42.14%), overall high support access (23.51%), high friend support access (18.06%), only close ties support access (10.90%) and overall low support access (5.39%). Marginalized groups (trans and non-binary people, racialized or disabled people, immigrants) were less likely to access diverse, high-quality social resources. Accessing diverse social resources, particularly close ties (e.g., family of origin), was associated with better health outcomes. In the absence of close ties, having at least one other social resource was associated with better health outcomes compared to having limited access to all resources. CONCLUSIONS: We found a major imbalance in social resource access among LGBTQ2+ people. Creating safe spaces for LGBTQ2+ people and ensuring access to high-quality social resources is important in sustaining their health and wellbeing.

Sexual orientation and gender identity and expression conversion exposure and their correlates among LGBTQI2+ persons in Québec, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Despite greater acceptance of sexual and gender diversity and the scientific consensus that same-gender attraction, creative gender expression, and transness are not mental illnesses, LGBTQI2+ persons are still commonly told that they can or should change their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (SOGIE). The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of SOGIE conversion efforts, including their sociodemographic correlates, among LGBTQI2+ persons. METHODS: Using community-based sampling, we assessed SOGIE conversion attempts and involvement in conversion services of 3,261 LGBTQI2+ persons aged 18 years and older in Quebec, Canada. RESULTS: A quarter of respondents experienced SOGIE conversion attempts, and fewer than 5% were involved in conversion services. Over half of those who were involved in SOGIE conversion services consented to them, but the services' goals were made clear and explicit to only 55% and 30% of those who engaged in SO and GIE conversion, respectively. The results also suggest that family plays a key role in SOGIE conversion attempts and services utilization, and that indigenous, intersex, transgender, non-binary, and asexual persons, people of colour, as well as individuals whose sexual orientation is not monosexual (i.e., bisexual, pansexual) were more likely to have been exposed to conversion attempts and involved in conversion services. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the prevalence of conversion efforts is substantial. Interventions to protect LGBTQI2+ people from such attempts should focus not only on legal bans, but also on supporting families who need to be counseled in accepting sexual and gender diversity. Health professionals need to be adequately trained in LGBTQI2+ affirmative approaches. Religious therapists should consult with colleagues and undergo supervision to ensure that their religious beliefs do not interfere with their practice.

Protective and risk factors for women's mental health after a spontaneous abortion.

OBJECTIVE: to examine personal and contextual protective and risk factors associated with women's mental health after a spontaneous abortion. METHOD: a cross-sectional study was carried out where 231 women who had experienced spontaneous abortions in the past 4 years answered a self-reporting online questionnaire to assess their mental health (symptoms of depression, anxiety, perinatal grief) and to collect personal as well as contextual characteristics. RESULTS: women who had experienced spontaneous abortions within the past 6 months had higher scores for depressive symptoms than those who had experienced spontaneous abortions between 7 and 12 months ago, while anxiety level and perinatal grief did not vary according to the time since the loss. Moreover, low socioeconomic status, immigrant status, and childlessness were associated with worse mental health after a spontaneous abortion. In contrast, the quality of the conjugal relationship and the level of satisfaction with health care were positively associated with women's mental health. CONCLUSION: women in vulnerable situations, such as immigrants, women with a low socioeconomic status, or childless women are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems after a spontaneous abortion. However, beyond those personal and contextual factors, the quality of the conjugal relationship and the level of satisfaction with health care could be important protective factors.

Protective and risk factors for women's mental health after a spontaneous abortion / Fatores de proteção e de risco na saúde mental das mulheres após aborto espontâneo / Factores de protección y de riesgo para la salud mental de las mujeres después de un aborto espontáneo

Objective: to examine personal and contextual protective and risk factors associated with women's mental health after a spontaneous abortion. Method: a cross-sectional study was carried out where 231 women who had experienced spontaneous abortions in the past 4 years answered a self-reporting online questionnaire to assess their mental health (symptoms of depression, anxiety, perinatal grief) and to collect personal as well as contextual characteristics. Results: women who had experienced spontaneous abortions within the past 6 months had higher scores for depressive symptoms than those who had experienced spontaneous abortions between 7 and 12 months ago, while anxiety level and perinatal grief did not vary according to the time since the loss. Moreover, low socioeconomic status, immigrant status, and childlessness were associated with worse mental health after a spontaneous abortion. In contrast, the quality of the conjugal relationship and the level of satisfaction with health care were positively associated with women's mental health. Conclusion: women in vulnerable situations, such as immigrants, women with a low socioeconomic status, or childless women are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems after a spontaneous abortion. However, beyond those personal and contextual factors, the quality of the conjugal relationship and the level of satisfaction with health care could be important protective factors.

Objetivo: examinar os fatores pessoais e contextuais de proteção e de risco associados à saúde mental das mulheres após aborto espontâneo. Método: foi realizado um estudo transversal, no qual 231 mulheres que sofreram aborto espontâneo nos últimos quatro anos responderam a um questionário on-line, cujo intuito era avaliar a saúde mental (sintomas de depressão, ansiedade, luto perinatal) e coletar informações pessoais, além de características contextuais. Resultados: mulheres que sofreram aborto espontâneo nos últimos seis meses apresentaram escores mais altos para sintomas depressivos do que mulheres que sofreram aborto espontâneo entre sete e 12 meses atrás, ao passo que o nível de ansiedade e o luto perinatal não variaram de acordo com o tempo transcorrido desde a perda. Além disso, baixo nível socioeconômico, status de imigrante e ausência de filhos foram associados a pior saúde mental após aborto espontâneo. Por outro lado, a qualidade do relacionamento conjugal e a satisfação com a assistência à saúde foram associadas positivamente à saúde mental das mulheres. Conclusão: mulheres em situação de vulnerabilidade, como as imigrantes, com baixo nível socioeconômico ou sem filhos estão particularmente vulneráveis a problemas de saúde mental após um aborto espontâneo. No entanto, além desses fatores pessoais e contextuais, a qualidade do relacionamento conjugal e a satisfação com a assistência à saúde podem ser importantes fatores de proteção.

Objetivo: examinar factores de protección y de riesgo personales y contextuales asociados a la salud mental de la mujer después de un aborto espontáneo. Método: se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal en el que 231 mujeres que habían sufrido un aborto espontáneo en los últimos 4 años respondieron a un cuestionario online de autoinforme para evaluar su salud mental (síntomas de depresión, ansiedad, duelo perinatal) y para recopilar características personales y contextuales. Resultados: las mujeres que habían sufrido un aborto espontáneo en los últimos 6 meses obtuvieron una puntuación más alta en lo que respecta a síntomas de depresión que las que lo habían sufrido entre 7 y 12 meses atrás, mientras que el nivel de ansiedad y el duelo perinatal no variaron según el tiempo transcurrido desde la pérdida. Además, la baja condición socioeconómica, el estado de inmigración y la falta de hijos se asociaron con una peor salud mental después de un aborto espontáneo. En cambio, la calidad de la relación conyugal y la satisfacción con la atención de la salud se asociaron positivamente con la salud mental de las mujeres. Conclusión: las mujeres en situaciones vulnerables, como las inmigrantes, las de baja condición socioeconómica o las mujeres sin hijos son especialmente vulnerables a problemas de salud mental después de un aborto espontáneo. Sin embargo, más allá de esos factores personales y contextuales, la calidad de la relación conyugal y la satisfacción con el cuidado de la salud podrían ser importantes factores de protección.