Adlyn M. Perez-Figueroa’s research while affiliated with Utah State University and other places

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Publications (5)


How Does Religiousness Influence Health Among Sexual and Gender Minorities? Evaluating the Propositions of the Religious/Spiritual Stress and Resilience Model
  • Article
  • Publisher preview available

July 2024

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36 Reads

Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

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Adlyn M. Perez-Figueroa

With a sample of 1,176 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) Americans, we examined the core propositions of the religious/spiritual stress and resilience (RSSR) model (Lefevor, Etengoff, et al., 2023), which explains how and when religiousness is related to health for sexual and gender minorities. We found support for parts but not all of the model. As the model predicted, we found that religiousness was related to internalized homonegativity, which was, in turn, related to depression. We also found that discrimination was related to depression. Furthermore, we found that the relationship between religiousness and internalized homonegativity was moderated both by age (weaker relationship among older individuals) and congregational affirmativeness (weaker relationship among participants belonging to more affirmative congregations). In contrast to the propositions of the RSSR model, we did not observe any relationships between connectedness with LGBTQ+ communities and any other variable. Specifically, we did not find evidence that religiousness was related to connectedness with LGBTQ+ communities, that connectedness with LGBTQ+ communities was related to depression, or that connectedness with LGBTQ+ communities buffered the relationship between minority stressors and depression. Taken together, our findings suggest that the RSSR model may be a helpful way to conceptualize how religiousness impacts health for sexual and gender minorities but that a more concerted understanding of the role of connectedness with LGBTQ+ communities is needed.

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Tending to the Flock: The Experiences of LDS Clergy with LGBTQ Congregants

February 2024

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9 Reads

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1 Citation

Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling Advancing theory and professional practice through scholarly and reflective publications

Adlyn M Perez-Figueroa

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Kyrstin Lake

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Connor Berg

Clergy from theologically conservative churches face challenges in providing counsel to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning) congregants and use diverse strategies to address them. Thirty-three clergy from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints participated in a qualitative survey. Results revealed that implementing church policy while simultaneously addressing the needs of LGBTQ congregants and diverging views posed challenges for clergy. Focusing on listening, love, and spiritual counsel while avoiding messages of defectiveness were helpful for LGBTQ congregants.


Participant Demographics
Main Themes, Frequencies, and Sub-themes of Circumstances
“I Just Wanted Support”: Examining How LDS Clergy May Effectively Minister to Sexual and Gender Minority Congregants

October 2022

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23 Reads

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4 Citations

Review of Religious Research

This study explored why members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) who identify as sexual or gender minorities (SGM) speak with clergy regarding their SGM identities, as well as what LDS SGMs find helpful and unhelpful in these conversations. A sample of 25 current or former LDS SGMs participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants reported six overarching reasons for talking with clergy, including church procedures, seeking guidance, seeking emotional comfort, seeking repentance, seeking openness, and other people’s initiation. Participants reported several ways clergy were helpful, including empathic listening, openness, and affirmative spiritual care. Participants further reported several ways clergy were unhelpful, including punishing, lacking empathic listening, having a limited worldview, and pathologizing. Clergy may benefit from understanding why LDS SGMs are speaking with them, and from utilizing helpful approaches such as empathic listening skills in their ministering efforts.


Main Themes, Frequencies, and Subthemes of Personal Factors
Main Themes, Frequencies, and Subthemes of Others' Factors
“I Come Out Because I Love You”: Positive Coming Out Experiences Among Latter-day Saint Sexual and Gender Minorities

August 2022

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82 Reads

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14 Citations

Review of Religious Research

Background Coming out conversations are pivotal and stressful experiences for sexual and gender minorities (SGMs). Coming out can lead to more affirmation, safety, confidence, and improved relationships. However, adverse coming out experiences can lead to damaged relationships and ostracization, which may be more likely in conservative religious contexts.PurposeThe purpose of the current study was to explore what leads to positive coming out experiences for SGM members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.MethodA sample of 25 current or former Latter-day Saint (LDS) SGMs participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsParticipants reported five actions they did that contributed to a beneficial coming out experience: being selective, increasing self-understanding and acceptance, preparing before, decreasing pressure on self, and validating the relationship with the person they came out to. Participants further reported six responses from others that contributed to a beneficial coming out experience: showing loving acceptance, utilizing empathic listening skills, offering and expressing support, celebrating, affirming that the relationship is not changed, and advocating.Conclusions and ImplicationsThe present study extends current knowledge on coming out experiences by demonstrating specific beneficial approaches and responses to coming out. Given participants’ lack of focus on religiousness in their reports, these findings may be applicable to both religious and nonreligious SGMs. Our findings extend current knowledge on coming out experiences by demonstrating that both SGM approaches and others’ responses are critical to creating a more positive coming out conversation. Future research is needed to understand the efficacy and effects of these coming out approaches and responses.


Interview questions.
Counsel given: themes, frequencies, and codes.
Perceptions of meetings with clergy: themes, frequencies, and codes.
Cont.
Impact of counsel: themes, sub-themes, frequencies, and codes.
“He Just Wanted Me to Do What Was Best for Me”: Latter-Day Saint Clergy’s Counsel to Sexual and Gender Minorities and Its Impact

May 2022

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82 Reads

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6 Citations

Religions

The purpose of this study was to understand counsel given to sexual and gender minority individuals by clergy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS), the impact of that counsel, and individuals’ perceptions of meetings with clergy. Twenty-five current and former members of the CJCLDS who identify as sexual and gender minorities (SGM) participated in 30–60 min semi-structured interviews focused on their interactions with clergy in the CJCLDS. Participants reported receiving various forms of counsel, including encouragement to adhere to church doctrine, counsel focused on self-acceptance, messages that clergy would support congregants’ agency and self-determination, counsel focused on increasing faith, and no answers. Participants reported a variety of perceptions of meetings with clergy including wishing clergy were more educated on the experiences of SGMs, hurtful experiences, expectations of mistreatment, recognition that clergy are doing their best, and gratitude for clergy. Interactions with clergy had long-lasting and far-reaching consequences including loss of trust in religious leaders, restriction of church membership, disengagement from faith, engagement with faith, nuanced or lost beliefs, and impacts on mental health. Results suggest that Latter-day Saints clergy working with SGM individuals may be experienced as most effective when they provide safe and supportive spaces for congregants to share their experiences, use approaches that focus on self-determination and agency, seek education/training from CJCLDS-specific LGBTQ+ organizations, and recognize that many SGM congregants approach interactions with clergy with trepidation and fears of mistreatment.

Citations (3)


... However, available studies have found that religious practices and rituals (e.g., confession), interpersonal relationships (e.g., family, friends, support groups, clergy), a relationship with the divine, internal reflection, and self-control reportedly enable and support repentance (Abernethy et al. 2016;Fachitiandi and Permadi 2020;Haviv et al. 2020;Hendricks, Cazier, et al. 2023). Individuals also report turning to their religious leaders or clergy for assistance in their repentance (Skidmore et al. 2022). Additionally, experiences of divine forgiveness may facilitate repentant changes (Abernethy et al. 2016). ...

Reference:

Personal and Relational Processes of Repentance in Religious Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Families
“I Just Wanted Support”: Examining How LDS Clergy May Effectively Minister to Sexual and Gender Minority Congregants

Review of Religious Research

... Considering that LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints often face conflict and minority stressors within religious spaces (Lefevor et al., 2022;, deidentifying may lead to fewer stressors. As many LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints feel at odds with their LGBTQ+ identity , religiously deidentifying may also enhance their authenticity as they may feel more open to act in accordance with their same-gender sexual attractions and/or gender-expansive expression, as well as disclose their LGBTQ+ identities to others with less fear of rejection (Skidmore, Lefevor, & Perez-Figueroa, 2023). Such a sense of authenticity also ultimately leads to greater well-being among LGBTQ+ individuals (Kim et al., 2024). ...

“I Come Out Because I Love You”: Positive Coming Out Experiences Among Latter-day Saint Sexual and Gender Minorities

Review of Religious Research

... Sexual minorities report stigma and discrimination resulting in stress related to internalized homophobia, concealment, and expectations of rejection (Meyer 2003). Religious sexual minorities describe minority stress in certain RCs (Lefevor et al. 2023) and disclosure challenges such as coming out to faith leaders (Lefevor et al. 2022). However, our results also indicate that CESBs are resilient within RCs, similar to religious sexual minorities who stay in RCs because of their identity as a religious sexual minority (Yarhouse and Tan 2005). ...

“He Just Wanted Me to Do What Was Best for Me”: Latter-Day Saint Clergy’s Counsel to Sexual and Gender Minorities and Its Impact

Religions