Article Review Four
Summary
The purpose of a study by Diamond and Shpigel (2014) was to research the use of attachment-based family therapy for lesbian and gay young adults whose parents are not accepting of their sexual orientation. The authors point out that finding out your child is gay or lesbian can be hard for parents to accept. They have grown up in a heteronormative society and may fear that their child will face stigma for their sexual orientation (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). Parents may also feel embarrassed about friends and family finding out (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). Lastly, parents may have trouble giving up certain dreams they have had of their children regarding the type of family they may grow up to have (Diamond & Shpigel, …show more content…
They say this model is based on Bowen’s family therapy and attachment therapy and is based on empirical evidence (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). Two random trials found this model of therapy to be better than the usual treatment (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). This model states that first, trust must be re-established between the child and parents so that secure attachments are obtained (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). After attachments have been healed, “the second half of the treatment focuses on promoting adolescent psychological autonomy and competence” (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014, para. …show more content…
According to The Trevor Project (2015), gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers. Diamond and Shpigel (2014) assert that “parental support of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth has been associated with greater self-esteem and greater perceived social support, and has been found to buffer against psychopathology” (para. 6). Understanding how to help families support their gay and lesbian children is an important part of suicide prevention.
Research
One way I think this topic could benefit is to further research this model’s efficacy with transgender and bisexual youth. As a future school counselor, I will definitely be counselor to students who are transgender and/or bisexual I will need to find ways to help them and their families. These students are at an increased risk for self-harm and harassment (The Trevor Project, 2015). I think a larger study needs to be conducted with this model and that bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth should be included.
A second part of this subject I think I would be interested to read about would be whether this model is just as successful when other therapists try it. The authors of this study are also the originators of this model (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). I wonder if what works for them would actually work for others, or if there is just something special about the way they do therapy
Summary
The purpose of a study by Diamond and Shpigel (2014) was to research the use of attachment-based family therapy for lesbian and gay young adults whose parents are not accepting of their sexual orientation. The authors point out that finding out your child is gay or lesbian can be hard for parents to accept. They have grown up in a heteronormative society and may fear that their child will face stigma for their sexual orientation (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). Parents may also feel embarrassed about friends and family finding out (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). Lastly, parents may have trouble giving up certain dreams they have had of their children regarding the type of family they may grow up to have (Diamond & Shpigel, …show more content…
They say this model is based on Bowen’s family therapy and attachment therapy and is based on empirical evidence (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). Two random trials found this model of therapy to be better than the usual treatment (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). This model states that first, trust must be re-established between the child and parents so that secure attachments are obtained (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). After attachments have been healed, “the second half of the treatment focuses on promoting adolescent psychological autonomy and competence” (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014, para. …show more content…
According to The Trevor Project (2015), gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers. Diamond and Shpigel (2014) assert that “parental support of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth has been associated with greater self-esteem and greater perceived social support, and has been found to buffer against psychopathology” (para. 6). Understanding how to help families support their gay and lesbian children is an important part of suicide prevention.
Research
One way I think this topic could benefit is to further research this model’s efficacy with transgender and bisexual youth. As a future school counselor, I will definitely be counselor to students who are transgender and/or bisexual I will need to find ways to help them and their families. These students are at an increased risk for self-harm and harassment (The Trevor Project, 2015). I think a larger study needs to be conducted with this model and that bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth should be included.
A second part of this subject I think I would be interested to read about would be whether this model is just as successful when other therapists try it. The authors of this study are also the originators of this model (Diamond & Shpigel, 2014). I wonder if what works for them would actually work for others, or if there is just something special about the way they do therapy