Priors studies indicate a negative relationship between levels of parental support for lesbian and gay individuals and mental health or substance use disorders at a given point in time. To assess the effect of parental support on depression, anxiety, or substance use over time, researchers recruited adult gay and lesbian people to complete demographic surveys and questions about the initial and current levels of their parental support regarding their sexual orientation. Participants were grouped into those with consistently positive, negative to positive, and consistently negative parental support and underwent screening assessments for depression and anxiety. While participants in the consistently positive group had the lowest symptom scores, the different between their scores and those in the consistently negative group were not statistically significant. However, scores for both groups were significantly lower than those observed in the negative to positive group. Potential reasons for better outcomes in those with consistently unsupportive parents include those in this group receiving support elsewhere and/or developing internal resources to navigate across social contexts, assert personal agency, un-silence their own sexual and social identities, cultivate meaningful relationships, and engage in healing, according to a study co-author.
