Self-Disclosure to the Best Friend: Friendship Quality and Internalized Sexual Stigma in Italian Lesbian and Gay Adolescents

Autor/inn/en	Baiocco, Roberto; Laghi, Fiorenzo; Di Pomponio, Ileana; Nigito, Concetta Simona
Titel	Self-Disclosure to the Best Friend: Friendship Quality and Internalized Sexual Stigma in Italian Lesbian and Gay Adolescents
Quelle	In: Journal of Adolescence, 35 (2012) 2, S.381-387 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0140-1971
DOI	10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.08.002
Schlagwörter	Friendship; Adolescents; Homosexuality; Gender Differences; Self Disclosure (Individuals); Foreign Countries; Bias; Conflict; Prediction; Comparative Analysis; Italy + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Freundschaft; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Homosexualität; Geschlechterkonflikt; Ausland; Konflikt; Vorhersage; Italien
Abstract	This study is the first contribution to the understanding of gender differences in best friendship patterns of adolescents sexual minorities. We explored friendship patterns, self-disclosure, and internalized sexual stigma in an Italian sample of lesbian (N = 202) and gay (N = 201) adolescents (aged 14-22 years). We found gender differences in cross-sex and cross-orientation patterns of best friendship. Gay men (52%) reported more cross-sex friendships than lesbians (20%). The 52% of participants had cross-orientation friendships, and no differences were found between lesbians and gay men. Lesbian and gay men with a cross-orientation best friend showed a lower level of internalized sexual stigma. Gay men with cross-orientation friendship showed a low level of internalized sexual stigma and less conflict with a best friend. For gay men and lesbian participants, self-disclosure to the best friend was better predicted by internalized sexual stigma and self-disclosure. Future studies may provide direct comparisons between heterosexual and sexual minority individuals. (Contains 2 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10