Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40366430›Full record

ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2026

The unique characteristics of "families of choice" and families of origin of older LGBTQ + adults: are they related to mental health?

Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Sigal Gooldin, Lian Meiry, Robert Heidemann, Yaacov G Bachner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ella Cohn-SchwartzGerontology Program, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. ellasch@bgu.ac.il.
Sigal GooldinThe Israeli Institute for Gender and LGBTQ Studies, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Lian MeiryGerontology Program, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Robert HeidemannDepartment of Social Sciences, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany.
Yaacov G BachnerGerontology Program, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.

Funding

Israel Science Foundation 447/21
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study joins a growing body of research on the different types of families of aging individuals belonging to sexual and gender minorities. We explore the characteristics of "families of choice" (who are close enough to be considered as family) and families of origin of LGBTQ + older adults and their associations with mental health.

methodsData for this study were collected via an online survey with self-identified lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer and others (LGBTQ +) adults aged 50 + (n = 432). Participants were asked about characteristics of the relationships with their families of choice and their families of origin, depressive symptoms and well-being.

resultsThe results indicated that most participants had a family of choice, numbering five people on average. They also reported having about four close family of origin members. Several differences emerged when comparing the two types of families: The relationships with families of origin were more stable, while families of choice were more committed, more likely to accept participants' sexual orientation and the relationship with members of families of choice had fewer negative aspects. Regression analyses showed that individuals had better mental health if they had more close family of origin members, more family of choice members and a partner, if the relationship with their families of choice were more stable and less negative.

conclusionThese findings shed light on the unique sources of support among LGBTQ + older adults and their associations with mental health.

Indexed as

DepressionFamilyMental HealthSexual and Gender MinoritiesAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPsychological Well-BeingSurveys and QuestionnairesDepressionFamilyFriendsLGBTSocial relationshipsWell-being

Identifiers

PMID40366430
PMCPMC13226379

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.