Expressive Writing Intervention With Cuban-American and Puerto Rican Parents of LGBTQ Individuals

Roberto L. Abreu; Ellen D.B. Riggle; Sharon S. Rostosky

doi:10.1177/0011000019853240

Expressive Writing Intervention With Cuban-American and Puerto Rican Parents of LGBTQ Individuals

Roberto L. Abreu, Ellen D.B. Riggle, Sharon S. Rostosky

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

Acceptance by parental figures is one of the most important protective factors for the mental health of LGBTQ individuals. To date, little is known about the experiences of Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ children. Thirty Latinx parental figures (19 Cuban-Americans; 11 Puerto Ricans) completed an expressive writing intervention focusing on cultural strengths and challenges that influenced their journey toward accepting their LGBTQ child. Thematic analysis revealed Latinx-specific cultural strengths and challenges, such as familismo, caballerismo, machismo, and marianismo that influenced the process toward acceptance of their child. Parental figures reported feelings of happiness, pride, peace, satisfaction and relief, as well as mixed feelings and emotions following the writing intervention. Strength-based approaches to working with Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ individuals are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	106-134
Number of pages	29
Journal	Counseling Psychologist
Volume	48
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000019853240
State	Published - Jan 1 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.

Funding

We are grateful to Dr. Melanie Domenech Rodriguez for her feedback on an earlier version of this paper. Also, special thanks to Sharrah Lane and Jacob S. Neely for translating all of the data. In addition, we would like to thank the participants of this study for sharing their stories; we will forever be thankful for allowing us to better understand your challenges and commitment toward accepting your LGBTQ child. The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research project was supported in part by the Arvle and Ellen Turner Thacker Research Fund, a dissertation grant awarded by the University of Kentucky, College of Education.

Funders	Funder number
Arvle and Ellen Turner Thacker Research Fund
University of Kentucky

Keywords

LGBTQ
LGBTQ acceptance
Latinx
expressive writing intervention
parent-child relationship

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Applied Psychology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1177/0011000019853240

Cite this

@article{278e6270a5e44d8fac0b173138078e83,

title = "Expressive Writing Intervention With Cuban-American and Puerto Rican Parents of LGBTQ Individuals",

abstract = "Acceptance by parental figures is one of the most important protective factors for the mental health of LGBTQ individuals. To date, little is known about the experiences of Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ children. Thirty Latinx parental figures (19 Cuban-Americans; 11 Puerto Ricans) completed an expressive writing intervention focusing on cultural strengths and challenges that influenced their journey toward accepting their LGBTQ child. Thematic analysis revealed Latinx-specific cultural strengths and challenges, such as familismo, caballerismo, machismo, and marianismo that influenced the process toward acceptance of their child. Parental figures reported feelings of happiness, pride, peace, satisfaction and relief, as well as mixed feelings and emotions following the writing intervention. Strength-based approaches to working with Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ individuals are discussed.",

keywords = "LGBTQ, LGBTQ acceptance, Latinx, expressive writing intervention, parent-child relationship",

author = "Abreu, {Roberto L.} and Riggle, {Ellen D.B.} and Rostosky, {Sharon S.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2019.",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1177/0011000019853240",

language = "English",

volume = "48",

pages = "106--134",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Expressive Writing Intervention With Cuban-American and Puerto Rican Parents of LGBTQ Individuals

AU - Abreu, Roberto L.

AU - Riggle, Ellen D.B.

AU - Rostosky, Sharon S.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2019.

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - Acceptance by parental figures is one of the most important protective factors for the mental health of LGBTQ individuals. To date, little is known about the experiences of Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ children. Thirty Latinx parental figures (19 Cuban-Americans; 11 Puerto Ricans) completed an expressive writing intervention focusing on cultural strengths and challenges that influenced their journey toward accepting their LGBTQ child. Thematic analysis revealed Latinx-specific cultural strengths and challenges, such as familismo, caballerismo, machismo, and marianismo that influenced the process toward acceptance of their child. Parental figures reported feelings of happiness, pride, peace, satisfaction and relief, as well as mixed feelings and emotions following the writing intervention. Strength-based approaches to working with Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ individuals are discussed.

AB - Acceptance by parental figures is one of the most important protective factors for the mental health of LGBTQ individuals. To date, little is known about the experiences of Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ children. Thirty Latinx parental figures (19 Cuban-Americans; 11 Puerto Ricans) completed an expressive writing intervention focusing on cultural strengths and challenges that influenced their journey toward accepting their LGBTQ child. Thematic analysis revealed Latinx-specific cultural strengths and challenges, such as familismo, caballerismo, machismo, and marianismo that influenced the process toward acceptance of their child. Parental figures reported feelings of happiness, pride, peace, satisfaction and relief, as well as mixed feelings and emotions following the writing intervention. Strength-based approaches to working with Latinx parental figures of LGBTQ individuals are discussed.

KW - LGBTQ

KW - LGBTQ acceptance

KW - Latinx

KW - expressive writing intervention

KW - parent-child relationship

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068599424&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85068599424&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/0011000019853240

DO - 10.1177/0011000019853240

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85068599424

SN - 0011-0000

VL - 48

SP - 106

EP - 134

JO - Counseling Psychologist

JF - Counseling Psychologist

IS - 1

ER -

Expressive Writing Intervention With Cuban-American and Puerto Rican Parents of LGBTQ Individuals

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this