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Resilience Across the Life Span: Adulthood

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Trauma, Resilience, and Health Promotion in LGBT Patients

Abstract

This chapter reviews the literature on resilience in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults. Resilience as a result of LGBT minority stress is explored, followed by an overview of LGBT strengths identified in the context of positive psychology research. Specific areas of resilience are then explored. These include growth resulting from coming out, interpersonal factors implicated in resilience, and individual difference resilience factors. Individual difference factors reviewed include faith, religion, and spirituality; personality-related factors; and cultural factors. The specific topic of resilience against suicidality is addressed, followed by a review of emerging data including stress biomarkers and affirmative approaches to LGBT resilience promotion. The chapter ends with suggested strategies for promoting resilience in the context of patient/healthcare provider relationships and a case scenario highlighting resilience promotion among LGBT adults.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Note that “they” is used as a singular pronoun to avoid the false dichotomy of “he or she” that reinforces binary notions of sex and gender.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, 3657 Cullen Boulevard, Room 491, Houston, TX, 77204-5029, USA

    Nathan Grant Smith PhD

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  1. Nathan Grant Smith PhD
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Correspondence to Nathan Grant Smith PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Kristen L. Eckstrand

  2. William B. Castle Society, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Jennifer Potter

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Smith, N.G. (2017). Resilience Across the Life Span: Adulthood. In: Eckstrand, K., Potter, J. (eds) Trauma, Resilience, and Health Promotion in LGBT Patients. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54509-7_7

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