child is LGB reported the least amount of difficulty.
“Surprisingly, we found that parents who knew about a child’s sexual orientation for two years struggled as much as parents who had recently learned the news,” said David Huebner, associate professor of prevention and community health at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. “Two years is a very long time in the life of a child who is faced with the stress of a disapproving or rejecting parent.”
Previous research suggests that parents who have trouble adjusting are more likely to disapprove or behave negatively, which can put LGB youth at risk of serious health problems.
One reason parents may have trouble accepting that their child is LGB is concern that he or she may face bullying or harassment, and a harder life overall, Huebner suggested.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers LGBT Youth Resources.
