The aim of this study is to investigate interpersonal needs and life satisfaction among lesbians in rural Spain. Forty in-person interviews were conducted to collect both survey and interview data. The quantitative results show that life satisfaction is inversely associated with romantic-emotional loneliness and positively associated with sexual satisfaction. Qualitative data are used to then elucidate these associations. The findings highlight the importance of romantic relationships in the lives of rural lesbians who live in communities that lack organized support for sexual minorities. Increased visibility might help them to better fulfil some of their interpersonal needs.
BellDValentineG (1995) Mapping Desire: Geographies of Sexuality, London: Routledge.
2.
BradfordJRyanCRothblumED (1994) National lesbian health care survey: Implications for mental health care. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology62: 228–242.
3.
CodyPWelchP (1997) Rural gay men in Northern New England: Life experiences and coping styles. Journal of Homosexuality33(1): 51–67.
4.
CohenSWillsTA (1985) Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin98: 310–357.
5.
CohnTJHastingsSL (2010) Resilience among rural lesbian youth. Journal of Lesbian Studies14: 71–79.
6.
ConnC (2014) ‘Rural Roots’ – More Than Just a Metaphor: The Lived Experience of Homosexual Migration from a Rural to an Urban Setting. [Unpublished]. Available at: https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/576575/1/Charlotte%20Conn.pdf (accessed 27 June 2017).
7.
CorleyTPollackR (1996) Do changes in the stereotypic depiction of a lesbian couple affect heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbianism?Journal of Homosexuality32(2): 1–17.
8.
CouchDLiamputtongP (2008) Online dating and mating: The use of the internet to meet sexual partners. Qualitative Health Research18: 268–279.
9.
D’AugelliARHartMM (1987) Gay women, men, and families in rural settings: Toward the development of helping communities. American Journal of Community Psychology15: 79–83.
10.
D’AugelliARVallanceTR (1986) The Community Helpers Project: Developing helping rural communities. In: MurrayJDKellerP (eds) Innovations in Rural Community Mental Health, Mansfield, PA: Mansfield University Rural Services Institute, pp. 163–176.
11.
D’AugelliARHartMMCollinsC (1987) Social support patterns in a rural network of lesbian women. Journal of Rural Community Psychology8: 12–22.
12.
Dew B and Newton K (2005) Gender, sexual orientation and wellness: Research implications. In: Meyers JE and Sweeney J (eds) Counseling for wellness: Theory, research, and practice. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association, pp. 127–138.
13.
DienerEEmmonsRLarsenJet al.(1985) The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment49(1): 71–75.
14.
DienerESuhELucasRet al.(1999) Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin125(2): 276–302.
15.
DiTommasoEBrannenCBestL (2004) Measurement and validity characteristics of the short version of the social and emotional loneliness scale for adults. Educational and Psychological Measurement64: 99–119.
16.
Domínguez-FuentesJMHombrados-MendietaMIGarcía-LeivaP (2012) Social support and life satisfaction among gay men in Spain. Journal of Homosexuality59(2): 241–255.
17.
DöringNM (2009) The internet’s impact on sexuality: A critical review of 15 years of research. Computers in Human Behavior25: 1089–1101.
18.
FejesFPetrichK (1993) Invisibility, homophobia, and heterosexism: Lesbians, gays, and the media. Critical Studies in Mass Communication10: 396–422.
19.
Fernández-RoucoNCanteroPCarcedoR (2013) Bienestar de las mujeres lesbianas en el medio rural: Un estudio exploratorio. Revista de Investigación en Psicología16(2): 125–138.
20.
Furman W and Shaffer LA (1999) A story of adolescence: The emergence of other-sex relationships. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 28: 513–522.
21.
FurmanWShafferL (2003) The role of romantic relationships in adolescent development. In: FlorsheimP (ed.) Adolescent Romantic Relations and Sexual Behavior: Theory, Research, and Practical Implications, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 3–22.
22.
GainesSOHendersonMCKimMet al.(2005) Cultural value orientations, internalized homophobia, and accommodation in romantic relationships. Journal of Homosexuality50(1): 97–117.
23.
GarnetsLDD’AugelliAR (1994) Empowering lesbian and gay communities: A call for collaboration with community psychology. American Journal of Community Psychology22: 447–470.
24.
GibbsA (2012) Focus groups and group interviews. In: ArthurJCoeRHedgesLet al.(eds) Research Methods and Methodologies in Education, London: SAGE Publications, pp. 186–192.
25.
HarelZDeimlingG (1984) Social resources and mental health: An empirical refinement. Journal of Gerontology39: 747–752.
26.
HerekGM (2007) Confronting sexual stigma and prejudice: Theory and practice. Journal of Social Issues63: 905–925.
27.
HolmanEGOswaldRF (2016) A decade of changes: Within-group analysis of LGBTQ individuals’ perceptions of their community context and the relevance for social service providers. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services28(3): 214–230.
28.
HolmbergDBlairKLPhillipsM (2010) Women’s sexual satisfaction as a predictor of well-being in same-sex versus mixed-sex relationships. Journal of Sex Research46: 1–11.
29.
Hombrados-MendietaIGarcía-MartínMAGómez-JacintoL (2013) The relationship between social support, loneliness, and subjective well-being in a Spanish sample from a multidimensional perspective. Social Indicators Research114: 1013–1034.
30.
JenkinsIM (2013) Lesbian and bisexual women’s experiences with dating and romantic relationships during adolescence. Graduate theses and dissertations, 13453. Available at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/13453 (accessed 27 June 2017).
31.
KenkelMB (1986) Stress-coping-support in rural communities: A model for primary prevention. American Journal of Community Psychology14(5): 457–478.
32.
KramerJL (1995) Bachelor farmers and spinsters: Gay and lesbian identities and communities in rural North Dakota. In: BellDValentineG (eds) Mapping Desire: Geographies of Sexualities, New York: Routledge, pp. 300–312.
33.
LazarevicVHolmanEGOswaldRFet al.(2016) Relations between economic well-being, family support, community attachment, and life satisfaction among LGBQ adults. Journal of Family and Economic Issues37(4): 594–606.
34.
LewisM (1982) The social network system model: Toward a theory of social development. In: FieldTMHustonAQuayHCet al.(eds) Review of Human Development, New York: Wiley, pp. 80–214.
35.
LópezF (1995) Las Necesidades Infantiles. Fundamentación Teórica, Clasificación y Criterios Educativos de las Necesidades Infantiles, Madrid: Ministerio de Asuntos Sociales.
36.
LópezF (1997) Afecto y sexualidad. In: Gómez-ZapiainJ (ed.) Avances en Sexología, Bilbao: Servicio Editorial de la Universidad del País Vasco, pp. 23–62.
37.
LópezF (2008) Necesidades en la Infancia y en la Adolescencia. Respuesta Familiar, Escolar y Social, Madrid: Pirámide.
38.
McCarthyL (2000) Poppies in a wheat field: Exploring the lives of rural lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality39(1): 75–94.
39.
McLarenS (2009) Sense of belonging to the general and lesbian communities as predictors of depression among lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality56(1): 1–13.
40.
MelinRFugl-MeyerKSFugl-MeyerAR (2003) Life satisfaction in 18 to 64 year-old Swedes: In relation to education, employment situation, health and physical activity. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine35: 84–90.
41.
MooreMR (2011) Two sides of the same coin: Revising analyses of lesbian sexuality and family formation through the study of Black women. Journal of Lesbian Studies15(1): 58–68.
42.
MosesAEBuchnerJA (1980) The special problems of rural gay clients. Human Services in the Rural Environment5: 22–27.
43.
MullerT (2013) Ordinary (small) cities and LGBQ lives. ACME12(2): 279–304.
44.
MyersDG (1993) The Pursuit of Happiness, New York: Avon.
45.
National Research Council (2011) The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding, Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
46.
NestmannFHurrelmannK (1994) Social Networks and Social Support in Childhood and Adolescence, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
47.
Ocaña-RiolaRSánchez-CantalejoC (2005) Rurality index for small areas in Spain. Social Indicators Research73: 247–266.
48.
OswaldRCultonL (2003) Under the rainbow: Rural gay life and its relevance for family providers. Family Relations52(1): 72–79.
49.
PavotWGDienerE (1993) Review of the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Psychological Assessment5: 164–172.
50.
PeplauLASpaldingLR (2000) The close relationships of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. In: HendrickCHendrickSS (eds) Close Relationships: A Sourcebook, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 111–124.
51.
Pérez-AgoteA (2016) Religion, politics and culture in Spain: Towards a historical sociology of their differentiation and their relations. The Politics and Religion Journal9(2): 213–232.
52.
RichA (2003) Compulsory heterosexuality and lesbian existence. Journal of Women’s History15: 14–48.
53.
RyanCHuebnerDDíazRet al.(2009) Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and Latino lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics123(1): 346–352.
54.
SampedroR (2000) Mujeres jóvenes en el mundo rural. Estudios de Juventud48: 83–90.
55.
SarasonIGSarasonBR (1985) Social Support: Theory, Research and Application, Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff.
56.
SauerWJCowardRT (1985) Social Support Networks and the Care of the Elderly: Theory, Research and Practice, New York: Springer.
57.
SmithJBaltesPB (1993) Differential psychological ageing: Profiles of the old and very old. Ageing and Society13: 551–587.
58.
SnellWE (1995) The Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire. In: DavisCMYarberWLBausermanRet al.(eds) Handbook of Sexuality Related Measures, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 521–527.
59.
SorianoS (1999) Cómo se vive la homosexualidad y el Lesbianismo, Salamanca: Amarú.
60.
WeissR (1974) The provisions of social relationships. In: RubínZ (ed.) Doing unto Others, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, pp. 17–26.
61.
WeissR (1975) Marital Separation, New York: Basic Books.
62.
WongCTangCS (2003) Personality, psychosocial variables, and life satisfaction of Chinese gay men in Hong Kong. Journal of Happiness Studies4(3): 285–293.
