Discrimination, Internalized Homonegativity, and Attitudes Toward Children of Same‐Sex Parents: Can Secure Attachment Buffer Against Stigma Internalization?

• Author: Lisa Rosenthal,Tyrel J. Starks,Leora Trub,Ella Quinlan
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12255
• Date: 01 September 2017
• Published date: 01 September 2017

Discrimination, Internalized Homonegativity, and

Attitudes Toward Children of Same-Sex Parents:

Can Secure Attachment Buffer Against Stigma

Internalization?

LEORA TRUB*

ELLA QUINLAN*

TYREL J. STARKS

†,‡,§

LISA ROSENTHAL*

With increasing numbers of same-sex couples raising children in the United States, dis-

criminatory attitudes toward children of same-sex parents (ACSSP) are of increasing con-

cern. As with other forms of stigma and discrimination, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)

individuals are at risk for internalizing these societal attitudes, which can negatively affect

parenting-related decisions and behaviors and the mental and physical health of their chil-

dren. Secure attachment is characterized by positive views of the self as loveable and wor-

thy of care that are understood to develop in early relationships with caregivers. Secure

attachment has been associated with positive mental and physical health, including

among LGB individuals and couples. This study aimed to test the potential buffering role

of secure attachment against stigma internalization by examining associations among

secure attachment, discrimination, internalized homonegativity (IH), and ACSSP in an

online survey study of 209 U.S. adults in same-sex relationships. Bootstrap analyses sup-

ported our hypothesized moderated mediation model, with secure attachment being a buf-

fer. Greater discrimination was indirectly associated with more negative ACSSP through

greater IH for individuals with mean or lower levels, but not for individuals with higher

than average levels of secure attachment, specifically because among those with higher

levels of secure attachment, discrimination was not associated with IH. These findings

build on and extend past research, with important implications for future research an d

clinical work with LGB individuals, same-sex couples, and their families, inclu ding poten-

tial implementation of interventions targeting attachment security.

Keywords: Attachment; Discrimination; Internalized Homonegativity; Internalized

Homophobia; LGB Parents; Children of Same-Sex Couples

Fam Proc 56:701–715, 2017

*Psychology Department, Pace University, New York, NY.

†

Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY.

‡

Health Psychology and Clinical Science Doctoral Program, Graduate Center, Hunter College of the City

University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY.

§

Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), New York, NY.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Leora Trub, Psychology Department,

Pace University, 41 Park Row, 13

th

Floor, New York, NY 10038. E-mail: ltrub@pace.edu.

The authors thank Stephen Salbod for his assistance in conducting analyses. This study was supported

by a scholarly research grant from Pace University awarded to Lisa Rosenthal.

701

Family Process, Vol. 56, No. 3, 2017 ©2016 Family Process Institute

doi: 10.1111/famp.12255