Publications and Abstracts
The full citation and abstract (or introduction) to published articles are listed below. Where we have access to downloadable versions, we have provided a link to click on. All of the papers are available through library resources.
For articles in press, please visit our webpage with pre-publication information and downloads.
Riggle, E.D.B., & Rostosky, S.S. (2005). For better or worse: Psycholegal soft spots and advance planning for same-sex couples. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35, 90-96
Research has suggested that the majority of psychologists feel underprepared to provide service to lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients, including same-sex couples. To provide competent services to same-sex couples, psychologists must be aware of and sensitive to legal status issues. One special area of vulnerability for couples can be addressed and at least partially alleviated by advance planning for possible medical crises, including the death of a partner. The creation of wills, powers of attorney, and advance medical directives can create and protect the rights of partners during these times of crisis. Issues related to minority stress may discourage couples from planning. Case illustrations of culturally competent practice in dealing with issues of minority stress and advance planning are provided.
Riggle, E. D.B., Rostosky, S. S., Prather, R. A., & Hamrin, R. (2005). The execution of legal documents by sexual minority individuals. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 11, 138-163.
Sexual minority individuals (specifically bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgendered [BGLT]) have identities and relationships that are socially stigmatized and legally unrecognized. An online survey of 398 BGLT individuals was conducted concerning their execution of 5 legal planning documents: a will, powers of attorney for finances and healthcare, a living will, and hospital visitation authorization. We found support for the hypothesis that BGLT individuals who are in committed relationships, have disclosed their sexual orientation to immediate family, and have more income are more likely to have executed some or all of these documents. The authors discuss implications for BGLT individuals and same-sex couples, the need for policy changes and therapeutic intervention, and future directions for research in this area.
Riggle, E. D.B., Rostosky, S. S., & Reedy, C. S. (2005). Online surveys for BGLT research: Issues and techniques. Journal of Homosexuality, 49, 1-21.
Online surveys are becoming increasingly popular for accessing less visible and decentralized populations, including bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender (BGLT) populations. Advances in technology and convenience for the both the researcher and the participant have facilitated this trend. In this paper, we explore issues related to conducting BGLT survey research online, such as making decisions about survey formats, target populations and recruitment, compensation, access, and privacy. We also discuss technical issues related to online surveys and their implications for confidentiality and informed consent.
Riggle, E.D.B., Thomas, J.D., & Rostosky, S.S. (2005). The marriage debate and minority stress. PS: Political Science and Politics, 38, 21-24.
Introduction: Healthy adult development commonly includes a desire and intent to form intimate, long-term relationships. For individuals attracted to members of the opposite sex, these relationships may be formed, socially affirmed, and, by mutual choice, legally recognized by government agencies in the U.S. For individuals attracted to members of the same sex, these relationships may be formed, but social affirmation and legal recognition are only sporadically available. Thus, the normative relational developmental processes for same-sex attracted individuals incur unique challenges that other-sex attracted individuals do not.
The current political and social culture in the U.S. is a symptom and continuation of a stratified state in which same-sex couples are stigmatized and marginalized. The stratification of rights, establishing rights for one set of citizens based on a characteristic that is not available to all citizens, creates a status of stigmatized "second-class citizens." These second-class citizens, in this case those citizens who are members of same-sex couples, become "strangers" to the basic rights of liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and are at risk for minority stress and its health consequences.
The debate over civil marriage for same-sex couples activates and exacerbates the stigmatization of gays, lesbians, and members of same-sex couples. A stigma refers to a characteristic of a person that is a mark of disgrace or shame and is attached to a person through a label, which may be part of a self-identity or an imposed identity. Stigma may be conceptualized in a socio-political culture as being about power relationships and the use of an attribute to create a discounted class. The stigma is then used to discount a class of people and results in disapproval, rejection, exclusion, and discrimination (Link and Phelan 2000).
The current political and social debate over the right of same-sex couples to civil marriage engenders a threat to the public health of the U.S. and its citizenry. The current debate features negative stereotypes, intentionally demeaning and de-legitimizing rhetoric, and the institutionalization of discriminatory policies. While the target of the rhetoric and policies is same-sex couples, one set of citizens cannot be publicly demeaned without demeaning the entire citizenry and creating divisions within a society.
Dudley, M. J., Rostosky, S. S., Riggle, E. D. B., Duhigg, J., Brodnicki, C., & Couch, R. (2005). Same-sex couples' experiences with homonegativity. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 1(4), 68-93.
Same-sex couples face many challenges in forming and maintaining committed relationships. Challenges unique to same-sex couples include experiences with homonegativity. Sixteen same-sex couples were asked to share their experiences with homonegativity that had an influence on their relational commitment. Data from their conversations were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research methodology (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997). Analyses revealed that same-sex couples commonly experienced homonegativity from general societal sources and family of origin. Additionally, some couples experienced homonegativity from religious and legal sources. The implications of these results for relational commitment and future research on same-sex couple relationships are discussed.
Rostosky, S.S., Korfhage, B., Duhigg, J., Stern, A., Bennett, L., & Riggle, E.D.B. (2004). Same-sex couples' perceptions of family support: A consensual qualitative study. Family Process, 43, 43-56.
Few studies have examined the family context in which same-sex couples negotiate their lives and relationships. Consensual qualitative research methods (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997) were used to analyze 14 same-sex couples' conversations about family support. Couples perceived that their families are positively supportive, non-supportive, or ambivalent in their support. These perceptions led to positive or negative emotional reactions in the couple members and to specific coping. The majority of couples perceived that family support (or lack of support) had an effect on the quality of their couple relationship. No general or typical response strategies to lack of family of origin support emerged, suggesting a lack of models or norms for same-sex couples. The implications for psychotherapeutic interventions with same-sex couples are discussed.
Rostosky, S. S., Owens, G. P., Zimmerman, R., & Riggle, E. D. B. (2004).
Associations among sexual attraction status, school belonging, and alcohol and
marijuana use in rural high school students. Journal of Adolescence, 6,
741-751.
Analysis of data collected from 1,725 9th graders from 25 rural high schools revealed that students reporting same-sex attraction or uncertainty about their attraction status also reported significantly lower GPAs, lower school belonging, and higher marijuana and alcohol use. Regression analyses confirmed that beyond the effects of GPA and biological sex, sexual minority attraction status was negatively associated with school belonging. Further, while higher school belonging significantly decreased the odds of alcohol and marijuana use, sexual attraction status did not significantly contribute to the model. Post-hoc analyses indicated that sexual minority students systematically reported that they perceived less privacy in completing the survey, lending support to the notion that these adolescents may feel less trusting of their school environments. These findings are discussed in light of the need for interventions to address the developmental challenges of sexual minority students.
Rostosky, S. S., & Riggle, E. D. B. (2002). ‘Out' at work: The relation
of actor and partner workplace policy and internalized homophobia to disclosure
status. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49, 411-419.
Those who identify as gay male or lesbian must make decisions about whether to disclose their sexual orientation in work environments that may be discriminatory. As part of a larger web-based survey of love, work, and health in gay male and lesbian couples, we examined the predictors of individuals' workplace disclosure status in 118 couples. Findings indicated that, at the individual level, having a workplace nondiscrimination policy and less internalized homophobia were positively associated with the extent to which an individual was out at work. Beyond these individual effects, an individual's disclosure status at work was also positively associated with her or his partner having a workplace nondiscrimination policy and less internalized homophobia. The implications for counseling and for wider interventions at the policy level are discussed.