A Content Analysis of Psychological Research on Vocational Issues Among Sexual Minority People

A content analysis was conducted on published empirical psychological scholarship focused on vocational issues and career development among sexual minority people from 1956 to 2020. A total of 184 empirical articles encompassing 207 studies were coded. The analyses revealed growth in the literature over time, with more than half of the articles being published in the last seven years. Studies were largely nonexperimental, cross-sectional, and quantitative research designs. Most participants were in their middle 30s and identified as cisgender women or men, exclusively lesbian or gay, European American/White, and employed, though almost half of studies did not report sample indicators of socioeconomic status and a bit more than a fifth of studies each did not report sample race/ethnicity, age or employment status. The most commonly described topics of inquiry were heterosexism and minority stressors in the workplace, workplace sexual orientation identity management, and career functioning. Despite their key role in shaping the Practice Guidelines, minority stress theory and intersectionality were mentioned in or central to small proportions of the sample. Underexamined methodologies, populations, topics, and theoretical frameworks are outlined, as well as suggestions for future research and practice. Public Significance StatementThis study synthesized the vocational psychology research on sexual minority people in response to calls for psychologists to attend to workplace and vocational issues that affect sexual minority people. This content analysis provides a clear view of the scope of career development and workplace research with sexual minority people thus far and identifies methodologies, populations, topics, and theoretical frameworks that warrant further exploration.