Author(s): Samantha Bateman
Mentor(s): John Jones
Institution UTech
The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate how loneliness and social support in LGBTQ+ individuals undergoing faith transitions. This research is important for several reasons. Firstly, there are unique challenges emotionally and socially LGBTQ+ individuals face in their identity development as well as faith transitions. Secondly, the lack of social support LGBTQ+ individuals may experience isolation when their sexual identity conflicts with their religious beliefs. For example, various forms of psychological distress, including experiences of shame, internalized homophobia, depression, and suicidal ideation, have been linked to religious and sexual identities (Lease et al., 2005; Schuck & Liddle, 2001; Mahaffy, 1996). The main objectives of this research are: 1) to assess how social support and loneliness using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet & Farley, 1988) and DeJong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (Gierveld and Tilburg, 2006), 2) to assess one's sexual identity and religious affiliations using the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS) (Mohr and Kendra, 2011) and the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS) (Huber and Huber, 2012), and 3) to establish a relationship between these four variables, demonstrating the interplay of social support and loneliness during a queer faith transition. The research hypothesizes that higher levels of social support are associated with lower levels of loneliness and that LGBTQ+ individuals transitioning from conservative religious settings experience heightened loneliness compared to those transitioning from more affirming backgrounds. The findings that are expected will provide valuable insights into the emotional and social dimensions of queer faith transitions experiencing loneliness and social support.