Roberto L. Abreu

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• Ph.D.
• Associate Professor at University of Florida

Latinx sexual and gender minority youth (LSGMY) oftentimes experience specific stressors due to systemic oppression that negatively impact their mental health. Additionally, many LSGMY report engaging in substance use to cope with daily stressors. Literature has documented that parental and teacher support can serve as a protective buffer against s...

Studies have found that Latinx cultural values play a crucial role in the acceptance process of Latinx caregivers of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Guided by minority stress framework, in this study we quantitatively examine whether Latinx cultural values buffered the effects of acceptance on mental health outcomes a...

Research on bullying and LGBTQ+ Black and Latinx youth is limited, yet findings suggest experiencing bullying is associated with high levels of psychological distress, which can be internalized. Similarly, research on aspects such as parental acceptance and informed therapy suggest these can operate as protective factors when experiencing oppressio...

According to the psychological mediation framework, transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people are exposed to distal minority stressors (e.g., family rejection) which are associated with proximal minority stressors (e.g., internalized transphobia) and general psychological processes (e.g., low social support), in turn increasing the risk for negat...

Grief and loss perspectives are frequently used in clinical and nonclinical (e.g., parent-facilitated support groups) settings to support families who are navigating awareness or disclosure of a child’s diverse gender identity (i.e., as transgender or nonbinary [TNB]). Little to no research has examined the mental health consequences of TNB youth o...

Much of the research focusing on LGBTQ parenting has focused on White parents. This is concerning given that LGBTQ families are more racially and ethnically diverse than heterosexual households, with Latinx queer parents comprising most LGBTQ parents raising children. In turn, there is a lack of research about the cultural experiences that inform p...

The American Psychological Association’s dedication to social justice, inclusivity, and diversity initiatives has created a necessary emphasis on diversity and inclusion, which has contributed to the increased representation of marginalized participants and researchers. Due to systemic oppression (e.g., anti-Black racism, xenophobia, sexism, cissex...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, closure of schools and other public places changed the circumstances under which young people engaged in identity development. This qualitative study examines the impact of COVID-19 on the gender identity development of 295 transgender and gender diverse youth, ages 13-22. Responses to the open-ended question “How has...

Objetivos: El estigma social internalizado y el acoso cibernético a menudo conducen a resultados negativos y una disminución del bienestar entre los jóvenes Latinxs con diversidad sexual y de género (SGD, por sus siglas en inglés). El miedo a ser juzgados por miembros de la familia disuade a los jóvenes Latinxs SGD de utilizar la profilaxis previa...

Despite the ever-growing presence of Black immigrant college students in the United States, little is known about their unique campus experiences or their mental health outcomes as it relates to psychopolitical determinants of well-being. This qualitative study aimed to explore the unique psychopolitical experiences of 14, first- and second-generat...

Objective: Research has documented the importance of parental support as a protective factor against depressive symptoms among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth. In this study, we assessed the relations between LGBTQ-specific parental support and depressive symptoms. Method: Participants were 6,837 LGBTQ youth (ages 13...

Parental support is crucial in the well-being of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth. Research shows that parents of TGD youth often experience stigma and negative mental health outcomes as a result of being exposed to cissexist settings as they advocate and seek services for their child. Yet, there is a lack of research on the experiences o...

Introduction Curricular laws that ban schools from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, such as Florida’s Parental Rights in Education (“Don’t Say Gay”) law, reinforce structural stigma for LGBTQ + people, resulting in compromised well-being. Structural stigma likely affects LGBTQ + individuals’ identity disclosure/concealm...

Objectives: Latinx and Asian people are experiencing an elevated rate of immigration status-related oppression—both systematically and individually—despite actual nationality, and this type of cultural stressor has seen a rampant increase recently in the United States. We aimed to assess the relation and effect of immigration status microaggression...

Parental support is instrumental in protecting the mental health of trans and nonbinary youth (TNB). Yet, minimal measures exist that measure parental support, and current measures typically measure parental attitudes or general perceptions of supportiveness rather than measuring specific TNB affirming behaviors. This study aimed to fill this gap b...

Anti-Black racism and cissexism have been strong motivators for Black trans and gender diverse (TGD) communities to engage in activism. Furthermore, Black TGD people have been at the forefront of activism movements, yet they rarely receive recognition for their role in disrupting systems of oppression and contributing to the liberation of oppressed...

Parental support is instrumental in protecting the mental health of trans and nonbinary youth (TNB). Yet minimal measures exist that measure parental support, and current measures typically measure parental attitudes or general perceptions of supportiveness rather than measuring specific TNB-affirming behaviors. This study aimed to fill this gap by...

Objective: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Latinx youth report high rates of negative mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. Similarly, research with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth have documented increased negative mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety as a result of the COVID-19...

Prior studies indicate that anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has negative consequences for the well-being of LGBTQ+ people, their families, and their communities. In July of 2022, Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, also called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, was signed into law. The law aimed to limit K–3 instruction and discussion related to sexuality a...

Objective This article reports on a qualitative study, phenomenological approach, with a sample of Latinx fathers of transgender and gender‐diverse people. Background Research shows that acceptance by parental figures is crucial for the development and well‐being of transgender and gender diverse people. However, little research has focused on the...

As student bodies in higher education become more diverse, efforts to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have also increased. Sexual and racial minoritized students are often systematically pushed out of higher education and currently report concerning dropout rates. Thus, research using an intersectional lens on oppressive experiences...

Family support is one of the most important protective factors of emotional and physical health and resilience for LGBTQ people. However, there is paucity of research about family dynamics, support, and acceptance within communities of color. Specific for Latinx families, cultural values, beliefs, and traditions both facilitate and challenge suppor...

This book presents descriptions of interventions, results of empirical research, and theoretical contributions developed by Latine/x psychologists based on affirmative approaches aimed at promoting acceptance and understanding of LGBTIQ+ people. Contributions in this volume bring together the work of Latine/x scholars, practitioners, and activists...

Background: Black transmasculine people are disproportionately affected by a myriad of intersecting stressors including racism (specifically anti-Black racism), sexism, and cissexism. Black transmasculine people are exposed daily to systemic oppression such as transphobia, dehumanization, and violence, making this community more vulnerable to menta...

Introduction Oftentimes as result of racism, cissexism, and heterosexism, many Latinx and sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violence. These experiences of victimization are in part related to increased negative mental health outcomes such as decreased self‐esteem. Some research links LGBTQ‐...

Caregiver acceptance and rejection is crucial to the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Research shows that caregivers are affected by having an LGBTQ child/family member, yet studies have neglected to capture the experiences of Latinx caregivers. We present the development and initial validation of the LGB...

El estigma asociado o la vergüenza interiorizada entre los familiares de personas con afecciones estigmatizantes puede ser un factor importante que influye en las conductas de búsqueda de ayuda entre las personas cuidadoras latinxs de jóvenes con problemas de salud mental. Mediante la Escala de Estigma Asociado se evalúan las dimensiones afectiva,...

A Latinx LGBTIQ+ affirmative psychological interventions overview is presented. An analysis of the chapters and a discussion of their contributions will be oriented to understand a located Latinx perspective in psychological LGBTQ+ affirmative interventions.KeywordsLatinxLGBTQ+Affirmative interventionsLatin AmericaUnited States

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth of color—in particular Latinx SGM youth—experience higher incidents of bullying compared to heterosexual and cisgender White youth. These disparities oftentimes explain increased negative mental health outcomes, such as depression. Parental acceptance may be a particularly important buffer to the effects of bu...

Objective The current study sought to understand LGBTQ parents' concerns about how Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act (commonly referred to as the “Don't Say Gay” bill) would impact their children and family unit and whether and how they communicated with children about it. Background Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill, which wa...

Research has documented the negative mental health outcomes that anti-Black racism and cissexism, respectively, have had on Black and trans and gender-diverse (TGD) people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research, however, has yet to explore the intersectional experiences of Black TGD young adults. Additionally, research has found that activists...

Family acceptance and support is crucial for LGBTQ individual’s well-being. For Latinx LGBTQ people specifically, Latinx cultural values, beliefs, and traditions (e.g., familismo, gender norms, respeto, religion and spirituality) play an important role in their relationship with their family members. To date, however, little is known about the uniq...

Introduction Latinx and sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth experience higher incidents of racism, cissexism, and heterosexism in the forms of overt discrimination and microaggressions. These experiences could in part explain increased negative mental health outcomes, such as depressive symptoms. Evidence points to the possibility that LGBTQ‐spe...

Research has documented the experiences of transgender people in seeking employment. To date no scholarship has explored the experiences of immigrant Latinx transgender people seeking employment in the United States. Using an intersectionality framework, the present study aimed to uncover the experiences of immigrant Latinx transgender people seeki...

The postmigration experience of Puerto Ricans is complex in ways that have been unaccounted for in existing psychological research. Dominant sociocultural frameworks (e.g., acculturative stress) fail to account for the role of colonialism on the postmigration well-being of Puerto Rican migrants. This study retrospectively examined the postmigration...

Given that qualitative and mixed methods have been used to address social justice issues, counseling psychologists have been drawn to these research designs to advance knowledge in the field. However, qualitative and mixed methods in counseling psychology are rarely used to examine the experiences of LGBTQ individuals. This content analysis reviewe...

Research suggests that queer and/or trans Black people, Indigenous people, and other People of Color (QTBIPOC) generally experience higher levels of psychological distress and depression, leading to poorer mental health outcomes (e.g., Lim & Hewitt, 2018; Sutter et al., 2018). However, little is known about the experiences of QTBIPOC individuals in...

The present study explored strategies LGBTQ people used to cope during the U.S. presidential administration of Donald Trump. Coping strategies can buffer the impact of identity-related stigma and decreased psychological well-being, but little is known about the ongoing coping strategies LGBTQ people used during Trump’s presidential administration....

This book discusses the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC), and other marginalized student communities, in the narrative about supporting LGBTQ+ students in higher education. It provides the university faculty, staff, administrators, and students with more info...

This study explored common challenges and benefits reported by sexual minority people (SMP) in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS). A sample of 438 SMP members of the CJCLDS responded to a qualitative survey that asked participants to identify the challenges and benefits of identifying as SMPs in their faith. Participants repor...

Background: Transgender Women of Color are more likely to experience oppression at the hands of healthcare providers than their transgender White counterparts. However, there is a paucity of research on the experiences of Latina transgender women in the United States. Aims: Using an intersectionality theory framework, the present study aimed to in...

Background: Immigrant Latinx transgender people often migrate to the United States because of a desire for increased safety and more opportunities. However, after migrating to the United States, immigrant Latinx transgender people often struggle to access basic needs, including health care, jobs, and stable finances. These struggles are exacerbated...

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth in the United States are met with systemic barriers that affect their physical and mental health. Recent scholarship has found that TGD youth have been negatively impacted as a result of anti-transgender federal, state, and local laws and bills. Given the crucial role of parental figures in the well-being...

This article provides an executive summary of the American Psychological Association (APA)-approved 2021 Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons. These Guidelines were produced at the request of the APA Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (Division 44) and the APA Committee on Sexual Orie...

School counselors may not feel prepared to safeguard LGBT students or may perceive their schools to be hostile toward these students. An online survey with 280 school counselors revealed: (a) counselors who reported having a GSA at their school, received the most training, have participated in more hours of LGBT-related training, and have tried to...

The present systematic review analyzes ways in which empirical studies in the field of school psychology have studied the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students in the past decade (2009–2019). Results from 23 studies revealed an over‐ representation of quantitative studies conducted mostly in the United State...

Consensual nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships (e.g., open relationships) and identities (e.g., polyamorous) are becoming increasingly common, including among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people. However, few studies have examined stigma related to CNM relationships and identities (i.e., CNM-related stigma) in the general p...

There has been little research that explores the intersection of religious practice and spiritual identities among LGBTQ people of color (POC). The current study aimed to gain insight into the importance of religious and spiritual identities among LGBTQ POC. A community sample of 78 POC that self-identified within the LGBTQ community participated i...

Transgender Latinx people within the United States face unique experiences of discrimination, obstacles to physical and mental healthcare access, and decreased well-being due to interlocking systems of oppression at the intersection of racism, sexism, cissexism, and transphobia. In this chapter, the authors explore Trans Latinx peoples’ experiences...

For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, community and cultural values have served as protective factors during large scale events such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the 2016 Orlando Pulse Nightclub massacre. Little is known about how LGBTQ people are drawing on such values during the current COVID-19 epidemic. The cur...

Comments on the article by D. V. Mosley et al., a qualitative metasynthesis about Black queer peoples’ experiences of oppression and hate, as well as narratives about resilience, resistance, and possibilities. The findings in this article present a clear call to remove barriers, engage in everyday acts of reparation, and create a world where Black...

Comments on an article by J. Bettergarcia et al., which provides a thoughtful and thorough systematic review on mental health provider trainings in queer-affirming care. Bettergarcia et al. discuss clinical implications of their review, and the commenting authors encourage readers to read and reflect on them, and to make a plan for how to incorpora...

Comments on an article by B. L. Velez et al., which provides a rigorous review of the vocational literature on sexual minority persons. The commenting authors were especially impressed by their intentionality to ground their review within the minority stress and intersectionality frameworks—the same frameworks utilized by the task force in the revi...

Research has documented that parental figures of trans and gender diverse (TGD) youth often struggle with fear, grief, and stress as a result of antitransgender oppression. However, there is a dearth of research about how parental figures of TGD youth are impacted by antitransgender state and federal laws and bills. The present study aimed to explo...

Little research has explored how transgender individuals are impacted by the behaviors, statements, and policies of the Trump administration. To date no scholarship has explored the experiences of immigrant Latinx transgender individuals during the current political climate. Using a critical intersectional qualitative framework, the present study a...

COVID-19 has disproportionately negatively affected the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community, a group who faces identity-based marginalization in society. LGBTQ resilience narratives are important in buffering against the negative impact of minority stress, but little is known about how LGBTQ people have been resilient d...

Little is known about how immigrant Latinx transgender people experience support from their communities in the United States and back in their country of origin. The present study aimed to understand how immigrant Latinx transgender people reported support within their communities. A community sample of 18 immigrant transgender Latinx people at a l...

The current study used a theoretical triangulation approach to understand the premigration conditions, migration reasons, and migration decision making of Puerto Ricans who migrated to the United States between 2006 and 2017. The following research questions guided the current study: How was life in Puerto Rico for participants before migrating to...

Parental acceptance is critical to the well-being of sexual minority youth, yet little research has been conducted with fathers, or with Latinx parents of sexual minorities. Understanding Latinx fathers’ cultural context and how it operates to facilitate or challenge acceptance of their sexual minority child could contribute new knowledge regarding...

Two focus groups and four individual interviews were conducted to examine the experiences of Florida Puerto Rican adults (N = 26) with secondary exposure to the devastation caused by Hurricane María. Results from a thematic analysis yielded four major themes and eight subthemes depicting responses to Hurricane María. Four major themes emerged acros...

Is with great enthusiasm that we introduce to you our special issue on family and community among sexual and gender diverse (SGD) People of Color and Indigenous People (POCI). We believe that this special issue meaningfully increases knowledge and awareness of the relationship between SGD POCI individuals and their families and communities. Through...

Acceptance by parental figures is one of the most important protective factors for the mental health of LGBTQ individuals. To date, little is known about the experiences of Latinx parents of LGBTQ children. Thirty Latinx parental figures (19 Cuban-Americans; 11 Puerto Ricans) completed an expressive writing (EW) intervention focusing on cultural st...

Negative school climate and oppressive policies and laws significantly impact the psychological and academic well-being of transgender students in the United States. LGBTQ students consistently identify school counselors as the most supportive school staff member. Although school counselors have the ethical obligation to advocate for transgender st...

This article, collaboratively written by the leadership collective of the Orgullo Latinx: Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity special interest group (SIG) of the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA), presents a vision for intersectional and collective leadership that honors the lived experiences and unique needs of Latinx sexual and...

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals face stigmatization from family members and peers, placing this group at high risk of adverse outcomes including suicidality, substance abuse, and compromised mental health. This article uses a literature review approach to explore the common experiences of parents of TGD individuals as they navigate...

Bi-erasure and color-blind racial ideologies (CBRI) are two systems of oppression that that create barriers to wellness for bisexual+ people of Color and Indigenous People (bi+ POCI) (Elia, 2014; Neville, Awad, Brooks, Flores, & Bluemel, 2013). The authors posited that, for college students, these forms of invisibility may be experienced in campus...

Training on commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) and victimization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youths can increase awareness among professionals who provide services to this community. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a community-based training program geared toward mental health workers in a diverse metropoli...

Research has demonstrated that cyberbullying has adverse physical and mental health consequences for youths. Unfortunately, most studies have focused on heterosexual and cisgender individuals. The scant available research on sexual minority and gender expansive youth (i.e., LGBTQ) shows that this group is at a higher risk for cyberbullying when com...

Psychologists’ role as mandated reporters of child maltreatment is an important responsibility. This article will provide direction to psychologists in interpreting state laws as well as practical and clinical guidance when confronted with making a report of child abuse. A review of the U.S. laws on child maltreatment reporting as they pertain to p...

Although schools are thought to be safe environments for all students, sexual minority and gender expansive (i.e., LGBTQ) students often feel unsafe and unwelcome as a result of misconceptions about their identity. This paper explores eight commonly held myths and misconceptions about LGBTQ youth. The role of professional school counselors (PSCs) i...

Despite hip-hop’s popularity, little attention has been paid to its effects on youth gender performances on social media. This study has analyzed how youth who identify with three popular hip-hop songs interpreted the songs’ messages and performed their gender on the social media application Instagram (IG). Posts (N=450) from IG users were examined...

In the United States, Black bisexuals are a diverse group that is comprised of individuals with multiple identities (gender, religious, ethnicity, ability, etc.) who live in areas that provide variable consequences and rewards for possessing those identities (Greene, 1996; Phillips & Stewart, 2010). In a social hierarchy where Blacks and bisexuals...

AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION " Lourdes Dolores Follins and Jonathan Mathias Lassiter offer us a long overdue treatment of Black LGBT health in the United States, one that doesn't shy away from our rich, varied, and intersectional tapestry by equally highlighting all constituents of the LGBT acronym.. .. Black LGBT Health in the United States exalts our g...

Prior research describes significantly worse health outcomes experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people relative to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. A prevalent research focus on urban LGBT populations has created a gap in understanding rural LGBT health care and outcomes from a holistic perspective. The pres...

Sexual minority and gender expansive youth often experience bullying in schools. However, no study to date has provided school-wide LGBTQ-specific antibullying interventions grounded in current national and state laws and policies, nor the professional ethical responsibilities of school counselors. This literature review describes the context of sc...

Despite counselors’ ethical and legal responsibility to report suspected child abuse, they often lack formal training in identifying and reporting child maltreatment. This article describes the implementation of an Internet-based child abuse tutorial for future counselors (N = 43). Data were obtained and analyzed using a mixed methods design. Pre-...

Considerable research has examined reciprocal ties between religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and parenting within families headed by heterosexual married and single parents (Mahoney, 2010). Yet, no systematic studies have explored interlinkages between parenting and R/S within families headed by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) i...

Given the incidence of child sexual abuse in the United States, mental health professionals need training to detect, assess, and treat victims and should possess a clear understanding of the process of victimization. However, many mental health professionals who work with children and families have not been exposed to any training in child sexual a...

Counselors serve numerous multicultural clients, such as individuals in same-sex relationships. However, some counselors-in-training (students) are reluctant to provide therapy to same-sex couples (SSCs). This article provides counselor education programs with creative guidelines/strategies for students to work with SSCs. Specifically, this article...

Given the current challenges that gender expansive and sexual minority youth face, this chapter highlights the importance of creating inclusive sex education school curricula. The often hostile school environment where gender expansive and sexual minority youth are expected to perform is described, including exposure to curricula that restricts the...

Child maltreatment poses a significant threat to the children and youth in the United States (U.S.). All 50 states and the District of Columbia have mandatory child abuse and neglect reporting laws that require certain professionals (generally those who have regular contact with children) to report suspected maltreatment to a child protective servi...