Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents?
Parents of LGBTQIA+ individuals often report experiencing an affective state similar to grief after their children’s coming out. The current study explores whether this experience resembles that of people who have recently lost someone close. Furthermore, we tested whether the parents’ alexythimic t...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/10/577 |
| _version_ | 1827719775050006528 |
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| author | Nicola Biancotto Gianmarco Biancalani Lucia Ronconi Ines Testoni |
| author_facet | Nicola Biancotto Gianmarco Biancalani Lucia Ronconi Ines Testoni |
| author_sort | Nicola Biancotto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Parents of LGBTQIA+ individuals often report experiencing an affective state similar to grief after their children’s coming out. The current study explores whether this experience resembles that of people who have recently lost someone close. Furthermore, we tested whether the parents’ alexythimic traits are associated with their grief-like experience. In a sample of 194 parents who experienced their children’s coming out, we administered the Integration of Stressful Life Events Scale (ISLES), the Social Meaning In Life Events Scale (SMILES), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The results showed no significant differences in the mean scores of ISLES and SMILES between the present and bereaved samples by their creators. In addition, in the present sample, lower ISLES and SMILES scores were associated with higher alexithymic traits. Overall, these findings suggest a resemblance between the experience of parents following their children’s coming out and that of bereaved individuals. Therefore, they could inform on how to assist parents in coming to terms with the coming out of an LGBTQIA+ child. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:53:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-54285e279f284ddaaefc6fe449285613 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:53:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-54285e279f284ddaaefc6fe4492856132023-11-19T18:08:16ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602023-10-01121057710.3390/socsci12100577Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents?Nicola Biancotto0Gianmarco Biancalani1Lucia Ronconi2Ines Testoni3Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, 35122 Padua, ItalyDepartment of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, 35122 Padua, ItalyComputer and Statistical Services, Multifunctional Pole of Psychology, University of Padua, 35122 Padua, ItalyDepartment of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, 35122 Padua, ItalyParents of LGBTQIA+ individuals often report experiencing an affective state similar to grief after their children’s coming out. The current study explores whether this experience resembles that of people who have recently lost someone close. Furthermore, we tested whether the parents’ alexythimic traits are associated with their grief-like experience. In a sample of 194 parents who experienced their children’s coming out, we administered the Integration of Stressful Life Events Scale (ISLES), the Social Meaning In Life Events Scale (SMILES), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The results showed no significant differences in the mean scores of ISLES and SMILES between the present and bereaved samples by their creators. In addition, in the present sample, lower ISLES and SMILES scores were associated with higher alexithymic traits. Overall, these findings suggest a resemblance between the experience of parents following their children’s coming out and that of bereaved individuals. Therefore, they could inform on how to assist parents in coming to terms with the coming out of an LGBTQIA+ child.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/10/577coming outparentsstressful experienceLGBTQIA+ childlosssocial meaning-making |
| spellingShingle | Nicola Biancotto Gianmarco Biancalani Lucia Ronconi Ines Testoni Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents? Social Sciences coming out parents stressful experience LGBTQIA+ child loss social meaning-making |
| title | Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents? |
| title_full | Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents? |
| title_fullStr | Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents? |
| title_short | Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents? |
| title_sort | is the coming out of an lgbtqia child a death like event for italian parents |
| topic | coming out parents stressful experience LGBTQIA+ child loss social meaning-making |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/10/577 |
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