This is a presentation given by Adam Wood in Fall of 2014 in our College Student Development course on D'Augelli's Theory of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Development. Check out what else Adam is doing here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodad07

1. D’Augelli’s Theory of Lesbian,
Gay, and Bisexual Development
Presented by: Adam Wood

2. Presentation Outline
• Theorist Background
• Tenets of the Theory
• Overview of the LGB Model
– Definition of Terms
– The Six Processes
• Theory Critique
• Discussion Questions

3. Anthony D’Augelli
Background
• 1972: Received Ph.D. in
Clinical/Community
Psychology from the University
of Connecticut.
• Professor of Human
Development at Penn State.
• Associate Dean for
Undergraduate Programs and
Outreach for College of Health
and Human Development at
Penn State.
• Has written and co-authored
numerous works on LGB
issues.
(D’Augelli, 2013), Photo Credit from: http://www.hhdev.psu.edu/hdfs/directory/bio.aspx?id=123

4. Theory Tenets
• Identity is socially constructed and shaped by
different degrees of social situations (D’Augelli,
1994a).
• Development of sexual orientation is a life-long
development process (D’Augelli, 1994a and 1994b).
• Environmental and biological changes can impact
developmental plasticity (D’Augelli, 1994a).
• Individuals have an impact on their own
development (D’Augelli, 1994a and 1994b).

5. (D’Augelli, 1994a)

6. Definition of Terms
• 3 Interrelated Variables:
– Personal subjectivities and actions – “how
individuals feel about their sexual identities over
their lives, how they engage in diverse sexual
activities with different meanings, and how they
construct their sexual lives and feeling around
them.”
– Ex: Personal Meanings and Behaviors
(D’Augelli, 1994a)

7. Definition of Terms Continued
• 3 Interrelated Variables (continued):
– Interactive intimacies – “how parental and family
factors sexuality development, how age-peer
interactions shapes and modifies the pact of early
parental and family socialization, and how this
learning affects and is affected by intimate
partnerships of different kinds.”
– Ex: Family, Parents, Friendships, Partners
(D’Augelli, 1994a)

8. Definition of Terms Continued
• 3 Interrelated Variables (continued):
– Sociohistorical connections – “social norms and
expectations of various geographic and subcultural
communities; local and national social customs,
policies, and laws; a major cultural and historical
continuities and discontinuities.”
– Ex: Historical Background, Cultural Concepts,
LGBT Federal and State Laws, Policies.
(D’Augelli, 1994a)

9. Exiting Heterosexual Identity
• Recognizing that one’s sexual orientation is not
heterosexual.
• Includes telling others that they are lesbian, gay,
or bisexual.
• Ex: “Coming Out” Story.
(D’Augelli, 1994a)

10. Developing a Personal
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Status
• Figuring out what it means to be gay, lesbian, or
bisexual.
• Initial status may be subject to change as more
experience occurs.
• Sexual orientation can’t be confirmed without the
interaction of other individuals who identify as
lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
• Must learn how to be lesbian, gay or bisexual from
constructs defined through community of lesbians,
gay men, or bisexuals.
(D’Augelli, 1994a)

11. Developing a Personal
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Identity
• Creating a support network that consists of
people who knows the individual's sexual
orientation and accepts them for who they are.
• Positive social network would be affirmative.
• Negative support network would rather have the
individual’s sexual orientation to remain hidden
or they don’t discuss it.
(D’Augelli, 1994a)

12. Developing a Personal
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Identity
Continued…
“Tolerance is indeed harmful in this regard, in that
it subtly reinforces societal interest in lesbian, gay,
and bisexual invisibility” (D’Augelli, 1994a, pg.
326).

13. Becoming a Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual
Off-Spring
• “Coming Out” about one’s sexual identity to
parents (D’Augelli, 1994a).
• Establishing a positive relationship with parents
can time but it is possible (D’Augelli, 1994a).
• Most difficult disclosure most lesbians, gay men,
and bisexuals face (Evans & D’Augelli, 1996).
• Problems with development can be caused by
lack of family support (D’Augelli, 1996).

14. Developing a Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual
Intimacy Status
• An individual is in a non-heterosexual intimate
relationship.
• Hard to achieve because of the invisibility of gays,
lesbians, and bisexuals (D’Augelli, 1994a).
• “The lack of cultural scripts applicable to
lesbian/gay/bisexual people leads to ambiguity and
uncertainty, but it also forces the emergence of
personal, couple-specific, and community norms,
which should be more personally adaptive”
(D’Augelli, 1994a, pg. 327).

15. Entering a Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual
Community
• Development of commitments to political and
social action.
• Some never go through this process.
• “To be empowered as a lesbian, gay, or bisexual
person involves and awareness of the structure
of heterosexism, the nature of relevant laws and
policies, and the limits to freedom and
exploration” (pg. 328).
(D’Augelli, 1994a)

16. Theory Critique
Strengths of the Theory
• Other researchers findings
support the interrelated
variables within the theory.
• Focuses on the importance
of environment.
• Focuses on the significance
of relationships and context
(Clark and Caffarella, 1999).
Criticisms
• No initial research study.
• No recent research about the
theory.
• Doesn’t allow for complexity
and multiplicity of identity
(Clark and Caffarella, 1999).

17. Relating Research to Theory
and Higher Ed
• Evans and Broido (1999) did a research study
that focused around coming out in a residence
hall setting.
• Their findings related to D’Augelli’s interrelated
variables within the LGB Model because of the
importance of peer relationships, individual
experiences, and the previous background
context of the residence hall.

18. Relating Research to Theory
and Higher Ed
• Stevens (2004) referred to D’Augelli’s LGB
Model in his research study about gay identity
development within the college environment.
• Five factors:
• Self-acceptance, disclosure to others, individual factors,
environmental factors, and multiple identities.
• Stevens (2004) findings (except for multiple
identities) can relate to D’Augelli’s Six Processes.

19. D’Augelli’s Thoughts
• “…more components of a developmental approach
to sexual orientation are converging to provide a
multidimensional, multigenerational portrait”
(D’Augelli, 2012).
• “One consequence of a human development view
for the study of lesbians and gay men is that to talk
about the development of their lives without focus
on family, social, institutional, and historical factors
is fundamentally distorted” (D’Augelli, 1994b &
2012).

20. Questions?

21. References
• Clark, M., & Caffarella, R. (Eds.). (1999). An update on adult development theory: New ways of thinking about the
life course (Vol. 84). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• D’Augelli, A. R. (1994a). Identity development and sexual orientation: Toward a model of lesbian, gay,
and bisexual development. In E. J. Trickett, R. J. Watts, & D. Birman (Eds.), Human diversity: Perspectives on
people in context (pp. 312-333). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• D’Augelli, A.R. (1994b). Lesbian and gay male development: Steps toward an analysis of lesbians’ and
gay men’s lives. In B. Greene & G.M. Herek (Eds.), Lesbian and gay psychology: Theory, research, and clinical
applications (pg. 118-132). Newbury Parks: Sage.
• D’ Augelli, A.R. (1996). Enhancing the development of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths. In E.D.
Rothblum & L.A. Bonds (Eds.), Preventing heterosexism and homophobia (pg. 124-150). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
• D’Augelli, A. R. (2012). Restoring lives: Developmental research on sexual orientation. Human
Development, 55, 1-3. Kargar.
• D’Augelli, A.R. (2013). Curriculum Vitae. Retrieved from
http://www.hhdev.psu.edu/directory/documents/DAugelli-Anthony-FID-123-Vitae.pdf.
• Evans, N.J. & D’Augelli, A.R. (1996). Lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people in college. In R.C. Savin-
Williams & K.M. Cohen (Eds.), The lives of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals: Children to adults (pg. 201-226). Forth
Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace.
• Evans, N.J. & Broido, E.M. (1999). Coming out in college residence halls: Negotiation, meaning making,
challenges, supports. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 658-668.
• Stevens, R.A. (2004). Understanding gay identity development within the college environment. Journal of
College Student Development, 45(2), 185-206.