The Impact of LGBTQ+ Relational Development on Mental Health
A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Psychology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 32
Special Issue Editor
Interests: intersectionality; minority stress; BIPOC; LGBTQ; sexually and gender expansive; interracial/intercultural relationships; ecological systems; resiliency; couple/relational/marriage and family therapy
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Romantic and intimate relationships are central to our psychological development and emotional well-being. For LGBTQ+ individuals, however, the formation and maintenance of these relationships are often shaped by social norms, structural inequities, and minority stress processes that markedly differ from those faced by heterosexual and cisgender individuals. As a result, the development of LGBTQ+ relationships cannot be fully understood without examining the broader sociocultural and ideological contexts in which they occur, including heteronormativity, gendered expectations, and systemic marginalization.
This Special Issue explores the multifaceted connections between the development of LGBTQ+ relationships and mental health across individual, relational, and structural levels. At the individual level, contributors may examine how internalized stigma, identity centrality, and psychological resilience intersect with relational experiences. At the relational level, studies may address the role of social support, attachment patterns, and chosen family structures in shaping well-being. At the societal and ideological levels, articles may interrogate how cultural narratives, legal recognition, and access to affirming care influence the conditions under which LGBTQ+ relationships are formed and sustained.
A central aim of this Special Issue is to advance our understanding of how relational development within LGBTQ+ communities functions as both a site of vulnerability and a source of strength. By centering diverse experiences—including those of BIPOC; people with disabilities; and neurodivergent, immigrant; and rural LGBTQ+ populations—through an intersectional lens, this collection seeks to challenge universalized models of relationship development and offer nuanced insights into mental health disparities and protective factors.
Dr. Dumayi Gutierrez
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- LGBTQ+ relational well-being
- mental health
- minority stress
- intersectionality
- identity development
- BIPOC LGBTQ+ communities
- social support
- stigma and discrimination
- power and privilege
- sexual and gender diversity
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