The Process of Identity Development as the Parent of a Lesbian or Gay Male

Research has explored some aspects of parental adjustment when learning that a child is lesbian or gay, most often focusing on initial reactions. The small body of literature examining changes over time in parents' attitudes has provided clues about factors that facilitate adjustment to the news that an offspring is lesbian or gay. In this study, the grounded theory method guided development of a model of the processes that parents experience when they learn that their son or daughter is gay or lesbian.