Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Journal of Counseling Psychology
Author ORCID Identifier
G. Tyler Lefevor https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4510-7306
Samuel J. Skidmore https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8428-2273
Publisher
American Psychological Association
Publication Date
2024
Journal Article Version
Accepted Manuscript
First Page
1
Last Page
47
Abstract
Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals raised in conservative religious traditions present to therapy with questions about how to navigate tension between their sexual/gender and religious identities. For therapists, having accurate information about (a) the typical process of religious de-identification, (b) its antecedents, and (c) its outcomes is critical to empowering these clients to make the decisions that are best for them. We present data from a pre-registered, four-year, longitudinal study of 164 LGBTQ+ people who were active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS) at baseline to examine the phenomenology, antecedents, and outcomes of religious change. Across the four years of our study, we found that two-thirds of our sample religiously deidentified to some degree. On average, participants shifted their attendance at the worship services from weekly to a few times a year and 40% of participants disaffiliated with the CJCLDS. Longitudinal multi-level models suggested that age predicted de-identification with younger participants de-identifying more quickly than older participants. Religious de-identification was positively related to engagement with LGBTQ+ communities, and follow-up cross-lagged panel analyses suggested that engagement with LGBTQ+ communities was predictive of subsequent decreases in service attendance rather than vice versa. No relationships were observed between religious deidentification and mental health or well-being. These data suggest that religious deidentification is normative and developmental for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints, this process is most active among younger individuals, and connecting with other LGBTQ+ people is a key facilitator for this process.
Recommended Citation
Lefevor, G. T., & Skidmore, S. J. (2024). Navigating faith transitions: A 4-year longitudinal examination of religious deidentification among LGBTQ+ latter-day saints. Journal of Counseling Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000765
Comments
©American Psychological Association, 2024. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. The final article is available, upon publication, at: https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000765