“I’ll Give Them All the Time They Need”: How LGBTQ+ Teens Build Positive Relationships with Their Active, Latter-Day Saint Parents

Abstract

Strong and supportive relationships with parents are key to promoting the mental health of LGBTQ+ teens. Overwhelmingly, studies have focused on ways to improve parental acceptance, largely neglecting understanding the parent–teen dyad as a unit and ignoring teens’ contributions to their relationships with their parents. To address this gap, we conducted 19 separate interviews with LGBTQ+ teens and their Latter-day Saint (LDS) parents (38 total interviews) to explore the ways that teens contributed to the development of positive relationships. Additionally, we explored teen-related factors that presented challenges to the parent–teen relationship. Thematic analyses suggested that LGBTQ+ teens engaged in several behaviors that benefitted their relationships with their LDS parents, including having authentic and meaningful conversations, fostering family connections, engaging in casual communication, being open about LGBTQ+ identity, and giving parents time and grace. Participants reported several common teen-related factors that presented challenges to the relationship, including communication and connection difficulties, challenges related to general development, and parents and teens avoiding LGBTQ+ and religious topics. Results suggest that while several of these factors may be relevant for parent–teen relationships more broadly, many were specific to LGBTQ+ teens with active, LDS parents. These findings highlight the ways that LGBTQ+ teens manage to foster positive relationships with their parents despite potential conflict between their LGBTQ+ identities and their parents’ religious beliefs.