Mutual socialization during shared media moments: U.S. LGBTQ teens and their parents negotiate identity support

Abstract

Social relational theory proposes that children and parents socialize each other, particularly when knowledge, beliefs, and identities diverge. For families with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) teens, identity-relevant media depictions may spark moments of mutual socialization, including attempts to mediate each other’s viewing and discussions of the teen’s identity. U.S. data from 200 LGBTQ teens (aged 13–18) and one of their parents indicated that 83% of dyads reported that media content had elicited identity-related conversations. Both teens and parents perceived teens to mediate more often than parents, though latent profile analyses suggested distinct dyadic profiles. Although all teens were out to their parent, those with more identity certainty engaged in and received more frequent mediation. For parents, the frequency and positivity of “media moments” were associated with greater support for their teen’s identity. For teens, positivity (but not frequency) of such moments was associated with perceptions of more parental support for their identity.