Adolescents of the USA National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Can Family Characteristics Counteract the Negative Effects of Stigmatization?

The USA National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS) is the largest, longest-running, prospective study of lesbian families, with a 93% retention rate to date. Between 1986 and 1992, prospective lesbian mothers were recruited in metropolitan Boston, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. A total of 84 planned lesbian families enrolled in the study when the mothers were inseminating or pregnant with the index offspring. Data were collected in five waves, starting during insemination or pregnancy (T1), and subsequently at four more time points when the index children were 2 (T2), 5 (T3), 10 (T4), and 17 years old (T5). Data gathering for T5 was completed in May, 2009. The proposed presentation examines: (1) the impact of homophobia on the well-being of the 17-year-old index offspring; and (2) whether factors within the family context (family engagement, closeness, and conversations about homophobia) serve as promotive factors to diminish the possible negative influence of homophobia. The data for this report were collected through questionnaires completed by the adolescents and their mothers. The adolescents (39 girls and 39 boys) were queried about stigmatization and asked to rate their families on engagement, closeness, and communication. Adolescent well-being was assessed through the parental report of the Child Behavior Checklist/6—18. Forty-one percent of the adolescents had experienced homophobia. Hierarchical, multiple-regression analyses revealed that homophobia had adverse effects on the psychological well-being of these adolescents, but that family closeness neutralized this negative influence. The results indicate that adolescents who have close, positive relationships with their lesbian mothers demonstrate resilience in response to stigmatization.