Methodological Strategies for Resilience Research in Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals (LGBs): Integrative Review of the Literature

Abstract

Through the integrative literature review, this article aimed to analyze the methodological strategies for resilience research in empirical studies with lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGBs). The searches were carried out at SciELO, PePSIC, LILACS, Index Psi, PsycINFO e PUBMED, until the year 2015. In order to guide and systematize the undergoing of the review, the guidelines laid down in the Protocol PRISMA were followed and after consideration of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 31 articles were identified and analyzed in full. Studies focused only on variables, with focus only on people and including both variables and people were identified. Despite the conceptual and methodological advances about the resilience and the LGB population, some controversies are still observed, compromising the quality of evaluation of this construct. The measuring and/or understanding of resilience is not a simplistic task. It passes through observation and dialogue among risk factors, protection factors and positive adaptation factors, as well as dialectically relating to different levels and contexts involved such as individual, family, community and culture. The inconsistency in the operationalization of these factors can impair the generalization and the understanding of the empirical results.

Keywords:
Resilience; LGB; method; integrative review