Research shows that sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) experience high rates of mental health problems and other challenges (e.g., social, academic). A major factor that leads to these challenges is family rejection (family behaviors and reactions that minimize, deny, ridicule and attempt to prevent or change a child's sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression). Racial and ethnic minority youth experience the highest rates of family rejection and related health risks.
The Family Acceptance Project (FAP) is a research, education, and intervention initiative that was founded more than 20 years ago to help diverse families learn to support and affirm their SGMY. FAP's Family Support Model is grounded in the lived experiences of diverse SGMY and families and uses a culture-based family support framework that enables parents and caregivers to change rejecting behaviors that FAP's research has shown contribute to health risks and increase supportive and accepting behaviors that promote well-being for SGMY.
The overall goal of this research project is to evaluate a nine-week online version of FAP's Family Support Model (FAP-O). The investigators will specifically study how FAP-O:
1. Promotes parent/caregiver acceptance and support of their sexual and gender minority youth. 2. Increases family bonding and communication. 3. Increases SGMYs' feelings of pride in being LGBTQ+ and more hopeful about the future. 4. Leads to reductions in mental health problems reported by SGMY who experience family rejection.
Before receiving FAP-O's family support services, racial and ethnic minority SGMY (ages 14 to 25) and their caregivers will complete an initial pre-test survey. After completing this initial (baseline) survey, half of the families will participate in program sessions. Following the first round of sessions, all participants will complete an immediate follow-up survey, with an additional survey conducted six months after this. These surveys help us learn if FAP-O impacts the project's goals above. After the final survey, the other half of the families will attend program sessions. The investigators will also ask SGMY and caregivers to share what they liked about the program and their guidance for enhancing it.
Identify as a sexual/gender minority (including youth questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity AND their identity must be known to their participating caregiver).
Identify as a person of color/belonging to a minority racial and/or ethnic group.
Be between the ages of 14 and 25 years
Read and speak English
None
Parallel
Family Acceptance Project - Online
Behaviorala 9-week long online group program for LGBTQ+ youth of color and their parents / caregivers
Depression (Youth and Caregivers)
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) modified- 9 Item measure for detecting major depression. Measured on a 4 point scale with 0= Not at all to 3= Nearly every day. Higher scores indicate more depressive symptomology.
Suicidality (Youth)
The Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS): Community-based validation study of a new scale for the measurement of suicidal ideation. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. A 5 item measure. Scale is 0-10 with higher scores indicating severity of suicidal ideation.
Generalized Anxiety (Youth and Caregivers)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7) is a self-report anxiety questionnaire of 7 items. The 4 point scale is 0= Not at all to 3= Nearly every day. Higher scores signify greater anxiety severity.
Alcohol Use (Youth)
Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2023 - Alcohol items is a 3 item measure that assesses alcohol use over the past 30 days. item 1 is a 7 point scale 0=0 days to 6= all 30 days, item 2 is a 7 point scale 0=0 days to 6= 20 or more days, and item 3 is an 8 point scale 0=I did not drink alcohol in the past 30 days to 7=10 or more drinks. Higher scores represent more alcohol use.
(Intermediary Outcome) Caregiver Accepting and Rejecting Behaviors (Youth and Caregivers)
FAP-Reactions, Advocacy, Feelings/Experiences is a 34 item measure with a 4 point scale for items 1-30 0=Never to 3=Many times. Higher scores indicate more accepting behavior. A 5 point scale for items 31-32 1=Very Upset to 5=Very Happy with higher scores indicating accepting behavior for item 31 and rejecting behavior for item 32; items 33-34 1=Extremely to 5=Not At All with higher scores indicating accepting behavior for item 33 and rejecting behavior for item 34. LGBTQ Microaggressions and Microaffirmations in Families - interpersonal negative (microaggression) subscale is 8 items with a 5 point scale 0=Never to 4=All the time. Higher scores suggest experiencing more interpersonal microaggressions.
(Intermediary Outcome) Outness (Youth)
Nebraska Outness Scale- Differentiating disclosure and concealment in measurement of outness for sexual minorities is a 12 item measure with 2 subscales of 6 items each (sexual orientation and gender identity). 11 point scale 0=0% to100=100%. Higher scores indicate greater disclosure of outness.
(Intermediary Outcome) Internalized homo/bi/trans phobia (Youth)
Items from the 2017 LGBTQ+ Teen Survey includes 4 items on a 4 point scale 1=Strongly disagree to 4=Strongly agree. Higher scores indicate increased feelings of internalized homo/bi/trans phobia.
(Intermediary Outcome) Hope for the future (Youth)
Items from the 2017 LGBTQ+ Teen Survey Hope for the future is a 4 item measure with a 4 point scale 1=Definitely no to 4=Definitely yes. Higher scores indicate higher levels of hope and optimism.
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
University of Michigan
Lead sponsor
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Collaborator
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Collaborator
