The increase in prevalence and visibility of sexually gender diverse (SGD) populations illuminates the need for greater understanding of the ways in which current laws, systems, and programs affect their well-being. Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender, non-binary, queer, or intersex, as well as those who express same-sex or -gender attractions or behaviors, will have experiences across their life course that differ from those of cisgender and heterosexual individuals. Characteristics such as age, race and ethnicity, and geographic location intersect to play a distinct role in the challenges and opportunities SGD people face. Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations reviews the available evidence and identifies future research needs related to the well-being of SDG populations across the life course. This report focuses on eight domains of well-being; the effects of various laws and the legal system on SGD populations; the effects of various public policies and structural stigma; community and civic engagement; families and social relationships; education, including school climate and level of attainment; economic experiences (e.g., employment, compensation, and housing); physical and mental health; and health care access and gender-affirming interventions. The recommendations of Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations aim to identify opportunities to advance understanding of how individuals experience sexuality and gender and how sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status affect SGD people over the life course. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary PART I: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Prologue 1 Introduction 2 Health and Well-Being in Diverse Populations: Frameworks and Concepts PART II: UNDERSTANDING SEXUAL AND GENDER DIVERSE POPULATIONS 3 Demography and Public Attitudes of Sexual and Gender Diverse Populations 4 Current State of Data Collection PART III; DOMAINS OF WELL-BEING 5 Law and Legal Systems 6 Public Policy and Structural Stigma 7 Community and Civic Engagement 8 Families and Social Relationships 9 Educational Environments 10 Economic Well-Being 11 Physical and Mental Health 12 Coverage, Access, and Utilization of Evidence-Based Health Care PART IV: RESEARCH NEEDS 13 Recommendations Appendix A: Summary of Prior Related National Academies Reports and Activities Appendix B: Agenda: Public Seminar on Amplifying Visibility and Increasing Capacity for Sexual and Gender Diverse Populations Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

The essays in this volume explore the psychological dimensions of lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities from puberty to adulthood. The essays focus upon three general areas: theoretical frameworks that are important in understanding the development of sexual orientation in adolescence, challenges faced by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, and issues related to interventions and services for LGB youths in community settings. Changes in biological processes, relationships, and community interactions influence the emergence of sexuality in all young people. The process is more complex and difficult for LGB teenagers. Fortunately, the cultural changes that have allowed LGB youths to become more open about themselves at earlier ages have also allowed social and behavioral scientists the opportunity to study them. This volume presents authoritative, research-based reviews of this ever-increasing area of study and social concern.

Over the last fifteen years, psychological research regarding sexual orientation has seen explosive growth. In this book, Anthony R. D'Augelli and Charlotte J. Patterson bring together top experts to offer a comprehensive overview of what we have discovered - and what we still need to learn - about lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities. Writing in clear, nontechnical language, the contributors cover a range of topics, including conceptions of sexual identity, development over the lifespan, family and other personal relationships, parenting, and bigotry and discrimination. Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identities Over the Lifespan is essential reading for researchers, students, social scientists, mental health practitioners, and general readers who seek the most up-to-date and authoritative treatment of the subject available.

A tremendous outpouring of psychological research on sexual orientation has occurred in recent years, and interested readers have been hard-pressed to keep up with the pace of scholarship in this field. In particular, the last decade has seen a great increase in research on psychology and sexual orientation.
The first authoritative summary of its kind in this area, Handbook of Psychology and Sexual Orientation is the primary resource for the many researchers, including a new generation of investigators, who are continuing to advance understanding in this field. Volume editors Charlotte J. Patterson and Anthony R. D'Augelli, along with other leading experts, contribute an extraordinary review of contemporary psychological research and theory on sexual orientation in their specific fields of work. The book is divided in four parts: Concepts, Theories, and Perspectives; Development over the Life Course; Domains of Experience; and Communities and Contextual Issues. Individual chapters focus on topics such as bisexual and transgender identities, biological foundations of sexual orientation, emergent adulthood in lesbian and gay lives, same-sex romantic relationships, sexual orientation and mental health, family formation and parenthood, sexual orientation and hate crimes, and race and ethnicity among lesbian, gay, and bisexual communities, along with many more relevant areas. This comprehensive volume will be invaluable to undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and scholars, and professionals who work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues, and in the fields of developmental, social, clinical, community, and counseling psychology.

Changes in biological processes, relationships, and community interactions influence the emergence of sexuality in all young people. The process is more complex and difficult for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) teenagers. Fortunately, the cultural changes that have allowed LGB youths to become more open about themselves at earlier ages have also allowed social and behavioral scientists the opportunity to study them. The essays in this volume explore the psychological dimensions of LGB identities from puberty to adulthood. The essays focus on three general areas: theoretical frameworks that are important in understanding the development of sexual orientation in adolescence, challenges faced by LGB youth, and issues related to interventions and services for LGB youths in community settings. This volume presents authoritative, research-based reviews of this ever-increasing area of study and social concern.

What is the current state of psychological knowledge about lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals? This book presents definitive treatments of both current and classical psychological research and theory on lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities across the lifespan. Not only is the current status of the topic surveyed, and important research summarised from the last two decades, but promising directions for future research are also identified. This book is the most comprehensive review of psychological research on sexual orientation available and unique in focusing on lesbian, gay and bisexual people in relationships, families, and in communities.