Social Work Written Assignment

Assignment: Journal Review - LGBT Populations

While sexual identity is a very personal aspect of an individual’s life, it also includes social and public aspects as well. It is social in that you generally include your significant other as a participant in social circles with your family, friends, and colleagues. Sexual identity is public in that, during the course of day-to-day life, you present yourself and your significant other to society as a couple or as part of a family unit. These social and public aspects make sexual identity development a unique process for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals. This process is captured in life-span development as the six stages of coming out. In terms of cognitive, life-span, and moral development, how might theories of development explain the experiences of individuals who might not identify with their social environment in terms of sexuality? As a social worker, how might a better understanding of the developmental experiences of LGBT individuals allow you to help them develop or maintain a strong and positive sense of self?

For this assignment, search the Walden Library for an article(s) that addresses theories related to cognitive, lifespan, and moral development for one of the following populations that are serving in the military:

• Lesbian
• Gay
• Bisexual
• Transgender

Then think about the potential external and internal developmental or moral struggles facing the population you selected. Finally, reflect on how your thoughts, biases, and/or experiences might influence your reactions to the article(s) you selected.

Assignment (2- to 4-page APA-formatted paper):

Your paper should include:

• An explanation of the population
• An analysis of the article in terms of theories related to cognitive, lifespan, and moral development for that population. 
• An explanation of the developmental or moral challenges facing that population
• An explanation of how your own thoughts, biases, and/or experiences influence your reaction to the article and population-based research.