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In 1946 the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that in order to promote overall health in a given population, it is necessary to identify factors that contribute to health and well-being, and not to solely focus on methods to reduce vulnerability to distress. Over 50 years later the WHO (2006) identified the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) community as a specific sub-population that requires particular investment in finding ways to reduce their observed higher rates of distress and suicidality. During this same half-century, U.S. colleges and universities transitioned from being fundamentally mono-cultural student bodies to becoming more multicultural in nature. In essence, each college’s student body is now a population of populations. One prominent population among the larger student body is the LGBTQ college student community. Furthermore, the LGB portion of this college sub-population has been identified as an under-researched subset of the larger LGBTQ population (Russell et al., 2011). This is because past research has been limited by drawing primarily upon non-college adolescent LGBTQ samples and has over generalized its findings by the inclusion of the Transgender and Questioning populations, which have been observed to report even higher rates of distress and suicidality than the LGB community (Clements-Nolle et al. 2006; Goldblum et al. 2012). This study is designed to refine our understanding of the LGB college sub-population by first examining if trends of increased acquired vulnerability for distress and suicidality found in studies of the adolescent LGBTQ population (Garofalo, Wolf, Kessel, Palfrey, & DuRant, 1998; Russell & Toomey, 2010; Haas et al., 2011; King et al., 2008) also exist in the LGB college sub-population. Second, in line with the World Health Organization’s goal of identifying protective qualities capable of enhancing and preserving one’s state of well-being and resilience, this study will be the first to examine if Sense of Coherence (SOC) serves as a moderating factor on LGB college students’ vulnerability to distress and suicidality, and thereby, contributes to overall well-being and health. Through this study, we hope to achieve a better understanding of LGB students’ vulnerability to distress and suicidality during the college years, as well as to examine the applicability of the SOC construct for health promoting interventions in the college population. / text

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 24-26).

LGB individuals seek out counseling at higher rates than their straight counterparts and they tend to present for counseling with concerns that are unique and different from heterosexuals, such as difficulty reconciling one's sexual orientation with one's own religious beliefs. Yet counselors and counselors-in-training indicate that they have received very little education and/or training for working competently with LGB clients or with clients dealing with issues of religion and spirituality. The counseling profession could benefit from research providing in-depth and descriptive information as to the experiences of LGB participants who have same-sex attractions and come from a religious faith tradition that is not embracing of a non-heterosexual orientation identity in order for counselors to more fully understand the issues these LGB clients might present with. To begin addressing this need this dissertation was undertaken with the purpose of examining the experiences of women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who currently have or have had same-sex attractions. A phenomenological methodology was used in order to collect and analyze the data from two semi-structured interviews with 10 Caucasian women who: were born into and raised in the LDS religion; had resided in either Utah or Idaho during their formative years; and, had indicated that they had experienced a same-sex attraction. Results indicated that the women in this study struggled with: figuring out and identifying themselves as a non-heterosexual person, the LDS religion and religious culture, and coming out to others in their lives. In-depth descriptions are provided highlighting the commonalities and ways in which the women in this study experienced difficulty and conflict during their experience of having a same-sex attraction within the LDS religious culture. The results of this study have compelling implications for counselors working with this population as well as counselor educators in charge of the training and education of counseling students.

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The existence of pharmaceuticals in the environment has some adverse effects, and may pose threat to the organisms in the environment. The possibility of removing certain pharmaceuticals from wastewater was tested using Octolig®, a commercially available material with polyethyldiamine moieties covalently attached to high-surface area silica gel. Selected drug models were subjected to column chromatography in efforts to effect removal by means of ion encapsulation, the effectiveness of which would depend upon having appropriate anionic functional groups. The experimental results suggested that the model compounds, Rose Bengal, Eosin Y, Erythrosine , ZPS, and Lissamine Green B were successfully encapsulated by Octolig®, while Methylene Blue with quaternary ammonium groups was (statistically) not. In contrast, complete success was attained for removing of each of three xanthenylbenzenes (Rose Bengal, Eosin Y, Erythrosine) that have both phenolic and carboxylic acid groups. In addition complete success was attained for ZPS (zinc phthalocyaninetetrasulfonate) with sulfonate groups present. A test of a real pharmaceutical compound, Amoxicillin, indicated that Octolig® can be used to remove this compound from aqueous media.

The internalization of heterosexism places lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals at disproportionately higher risks of depression and self-destructive behaviors. For LGB Christians, this phenomenon is often exacerbated. Although literature on heterosexism has increased, little research has examined more insular, religious environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Christian denominational religiosity and heterosexism and to compare the degree of religiosity and heterosexism between members of 5 Christian denominations and between same-sex sexuality perspectives in the southern United States. Guided by the attribution theory, a correlational, cross-sectional survey design was used to analyze degree of religiosity and heterosexism among 225 self-identifying Christians as measured by the Religiosity Measure and Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale. A Pearson Correlation revealed a large, positive relationship between religiosity and heterosexism. Two ANOVAs revealed significant differences in degrees of religiosity among denominations and same-sex sexuality perspective, in addition to significant differences in degrees of heterosexism among denominations and same-sex sexuality perspectives. Implications for positive social change center on illuminating the effects of heterosexism in insular environments, which may contribute to the understanding of heterosexist ideology including heteronormative assumptions that are replete throughout the United States, including mental health professions. Moreover, LGB Christians may particularly benefit from understanding the variability and distinctions within denominational religiosity, such that denominational choices become evident and viable options.

Gratitude, or attention to and appreciation of the positive, is related to psychological well-being and less psychopathology, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). However, to date, no published research has examined the gratitude-suicide relation among sexual minority (SM) adults (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual), a population at markedly greater risk for STBs. Further, the theoretical mechanisms underlying the impact of gratitude are understudied. The current study examined potential mechanisms that represent the four hypotheses (positive affect, schematic, coping, and broaden-and-build) that might explain the benefit of gratitude in relation to suicidal ideation (SI) among a sample of SM adults (N = 651). Less depressive symptoms (positive affect) and anticipated discrimination (schematic) and greater self-compassion (coping) and psychological flourishing (broaden-and-build) mediated the relation between gratitude and less SI. Therapeutic activities aimed at bolstering gratitude among SM individuals may have a beneficial effect on SI due to impact on psychopathology and psychological well-being.

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