The damaging legacy of damage-centered LGBTIQ+ research: Implications for healthcare and LGBTIQ+ health

Abstract

Research on LGBTIQ+ populations has focused primarily on identifying problems in the community (e.g., health disparities) and their predictors (e.g., minority stressors, discrimination). Scholars have argued that the approach of highlighting “damage” or deficits has been helpful for advocacy but has also harmed this community by perpetuating stereotypes (e.g., LGBTIQ+ individuals are unhealthy), ignoring or devaluing positive LGBTIQ+ experiences, and contributing to negative interactions in healthcare settings. To evaluate the extent to which a damage-centered approach dominates the body of available research, the authors of this article conducted a content analysis of articles related to LGBTIQ+ health published in the Journal of Social Issues (JSI). The content analysis of 45 years of published manuscripts (1978–2023) revealed a strong emphasis on damage-centered themes. In response, this article advocates for structural changes that may lead to an increase in research that focuses LGBTIQ+ experiences more holistically, with the overarching goal of reimaging LGBTIQ+ research. Such suggested changes include concentrated research funding and publishing opportunities, medical training that emphasizes a strengths-based focus, and function-oriented and autonomy-promoting LGBTIQ+ research. This article suggests strategies to improve patient-provider interactions in healthcare and enhance the overall well-being of LGBTIQ+ communities. It advocates for a deliberate expansion towards a more holistic, less damage-centered body of research in LGBTIQ+ psychology.