Handbook of Psychology and Sexual Orientation

A tremendous outpouring of psychological research on sexual orientation has occurred in recent years, and interested readers have been hard-pressed to keep up with the pace of scholarship in this field. In particular, the last decade has seen a great increase in research on psychology and sexual orientation. The first authoritative summary of its kind in this area, Handbook of Psychology and Sexual Orientation is the primary resource for the many researchers, including a new generation of investigators, who are continuing to advance understanding in this field. Volume editors Charlotte J. Patterson and Anthony R. D'Augelli, along with other leading experts, contribute an extraordinary review of contemporary psychological research and theory on sexual orientation in their specific fields of work. The book is divided in four parts: Concepts, Theories, and Perspectives; Development over the Life Course; Domains of Experience; and Communities and Contextual Issues. Individual chapters focus on topics such as bisexual and transgender identities, biological foundations of sexual orientation, emergent adulthood in lesbian and gay lives, same-sex romantic relationships, sexual orientation and mental health, family formation and parenthood, sexual orientation and hate crimes, and race and ethnicity among lesbian, gay, and bisexual communities, along with many more relevant areas. This comprehensive volume will be invaluable to undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and scholars, and professionals who work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues, and in the fields of developmental, social, clinical, community, and counseling psychology.

Charlotte J. Patterson, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Program at the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on sexual orientation, human development, and family lives, especially on the development of children with lesbian and gay parents. Dr. Patterson is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) as well as of the American Psychological Association (APA), and is a past-President of the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. Anthony R. D'Augelli, PhD, is Professor of Human Development at The Pennsylvania State University. His work has focused on the development of sexual orientation, especially during adolescence and late adulthood. Dr. D'Augelli is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, and an Editorial Board Member for several journals including the Journal of GLBT Family Studies, the Journal of LGBT Youth, and Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.