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Examining the Role of Peer Relationships in the Lives of Gay and Bisexual Adolescents
Abstract
School social workers can serve as valuable supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youths in the public
school system by providing services aimed to improve school climates for all students. This article describes a qualitative
study that examined gay and bisexual adolescent experiences with peer support using a phenomenological inquiry approach. Five
themes related to peer support emerged from the data: (1) peers are an important source of support for LGBT youths in word
and deed; (2) LGBT youths fear judgment from non-LGBT peers; (3) not all peers are supportive; (4) gay–straight alliances
serve as a form of peer support even when students do not attend; and (5) LGBT adolescents seek support online. Several implications
aimed at improving the school climate for all students as well as study strengths and limitations are discussed. Specific
recommendations include offering interventions aimed at improving affective empathy among the student body, offering traditional
support groups for LGBT youths, recruiting and training peer allies, and connecting LGBT youths to adult role models.
... The items that were omitted pertained explicitly to sexual assault and were inappropriate for this study. The items that were retained were deemed to represent the range of peer reactions to GSD disclosure reported in the literature (Anderson et al., 2016;Bower-Brown et al., 2021;Higa et al., 2014;Morris et al., 2014;Robinson, 2010;Roe, 2015;Taylor & Cuthbert, 2019). Participants were asked, "Please indicate how often you received the following reactions when you told your secondary school friends that you are GSD. ...
... There is a considerable body of research demonstrating the significance of the reaction that school friends have to this disclosure. Disclosure to friends is often preceded by anxiety and fear of rejection or a lack of acceptance and this is described as particularly acute given that the disclosure pertains to an inextricable part of an individual's identity (Bower-Brown et al., 2021;Dewaele, Van Houtte, et al., 2013;Gato et al., 2020;Jones et al., 2016;Kjaran & Jóhannesson, 2013;Lasser & Tharinger, 2003;Roe, 2015;Schimmel-Bristow et al., 2018;Sherriff et al., 2011;Toft, 2020). Qualitative research indicates that GSD pupils often choose to disclose to their school friends before making disclosures to the wider school community as their support is viewed as essential in order to cope with potential wider rejection, prejudice and bullying (Anderson et al., 2016;Gato et al., 2020;Higa et al., 2014;Morris et al., 2014;Robinson, 2010;Roe, 2015). ...
... Disclosure to friends is often preceded by anxiety and fear of rejection or a lack of acceptance and this is described as particularly acute given that the disclosure pertains to an inextricable part of an individual's identity (Bower-Brown et al., 2021;Dewaele, Van Houtte, et al., 2013;Gato et al., 2020;Jones et al., 2016;Kjaran & Jóhannesson, 2013;Lasser & Tharinger, 2003;Roe, 2015;Schimmel-Bristow et al., 2018;Sherriff et al., 2011;Toft, 2020). Qualitative research indicates that GSD pupils often choose to disclose to their school friends before making disclosures to the wider school community as their support is viewed as essential in order to cope with potential wider rejection, prejudice and bullying (Anderson et al., 2016;Gato et al., 2020;Higa et al., 2014;Morris et al., 2014;Robinson, 2010;Roe, 2015). Clearly, acceptance at this pivotal moment in GSD young people's school experience is important. ...
Gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) young people (YP) frequently spend their youth exploring and discovering their identities. At this time, they often begin to think about how and when to disclose their GSD identity to others in a variety of contexts; this dynamic and ongoing process can be termed visibility management (VM). At school, GSD YP actively test social reactions, interpret attitudes, and assess safety; ultimately, seeking to be an authentic self and to find acceptance and community. This systematic review explored findings from 16 qualitative studies capturing GSD YP’s experiences of managing visibility in schools internationally. Data was thematically synthesised and seven themes were constructed: We need to explore, discover and accept who we are before we can be our authentic selves, Visibility management is a constant negotiation and a fluid process, We are influenced and oppressed by norms; our visibility breaks norms and changes culture, We are acutely aware and often fearful of social reactions to the visibility of GSD people and to disclosure, We need school staff to do more to support us, We need a visible community to feel safe and experience belonging and We fight for our right to be visible. Implications for practice are discussed.
GSD YP transgress social and gender norms and are at an elevated risk for bullying in secondary school. In the UK, GSD identity-based bullying is pervasive and colours the lives of many GSD YP. It constitutes trauma and often results in negative mental health outcomes. Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) is the perception of positive psychological growth following trauma and has been recorded following various traumata, including interpersonal trauma. In adults and YP, several predictors of PTG have been identified. However, little is currently known about its antecedents in GSD YP. This study aimed to address this gap in the field. Survey data was collected from 173 participants (aged 16-25 years) who self-identified as GSD. Independent variables included social acceptance and support from secondary school friends, social support from school staff, engagement in activism, GSD school culture and sense of school belonging. Data was analysed using multiple regression. Results demonstrate the model was statistically significantly predictive of PTG in this population, with social support and acceptance from school friends being the strongest predictors. The study concluded that multiple facets of social support and acceptance promote positive outcomes following GSD identity-based bullying and that the support and acceptance of friends is particularly critical.
... Their resilience is fostered through the resources they access in LGBTQ+ communities, which often vary in accessibility based on geographical factors (Gates & Newport, 2013;Gray, 2009;Young, Rapisarda, Stewart, & Pollio, 2017). Past research on LGBTQ+ youth has primarily focused on the risks that online spaces pose for this population, such as cyberbullying and online harassment (Abreu & Kenny, 2018;Moreno & Kolb, 2012), while offline LGBTQ+ spaces are perceived as being a primary source of community and social support (Roe, 2015). The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of offline and online supports on the wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth in a region of the United States (U.S.) that poses unique environmental challenges for LGBTQ+ people, the South. ...
... School is an important site for the development of peer relationships (Blum, McNeely, & Nonnemaker, 2002), and for LGBTQ+ youth in particular, positive connections with peers promotes resilience (Mustanski, Newcomb, & Garofalo, 2011). LGBTQ+ youth have a range of experiences at school, providing evidence for the potential of schools as an affirming institution (Roe, 2015). For example, youth who attend schools with Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs)-previously referred to as Gay-Straight Alliances-have demonstrated a lower risk for suicide (Davis, Stafford, & Pullig, 2014;Poteat, Sinclair, DiGiovanni, Koenig, & Russell, 2013), truancy (Poteat et al., 2013), and better outcomes in academic performance, school experiences, alcohol use, physical well-being, and psychological distress (Heck, Flentje, & Cochran, 2011;Lee, 2002;Porta et al., 2017). ...
... Online engagement-particularly the use of social media and other internet-based applications-has increasingly become a key feature in our everyday lives (Anderson & Jiang, 2018;Ceglarek & Ward, 2016). Studies have shown that online social networking sites are a fundamental avenue for youth to explore and develop their social identities (Barker, 2012, Cover, 2012Nabeth, 2009) with positive effects (Deters & Mehl, 2012;Kim & Lee, 2011;Roe, 2015). LGBTQ+ youth report witnessing transphobic, stereotypical, and/or overly simplified depictions of transgender people on traditionally offline media, whereas online they were able to access more realistic representations of transgender people which they perceived as positive role models for transgender youth . ...
LGBTQ+ youth experience negative health and wellbeing outcomes resulting from the stress of marginalization and unsupportive environments. Further, access to LGBTQ+ community resources often vary based on geographical factors. Previous research has focused on the risks of online spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and has perceived offline environments as a primary source of community and social support. This study explored the role of offline and online social supports on the relationship between environmental factors and LGBTQ+ esteem for LGBTQ+ youth in the southern United States, a region that has historically been under-resourced. Findings suggest that the online LGBTQ+-specific social support youth in this sample received significantly moderated the impact of LGBTQ-specific stressors on LGBTQ+ esteem, and offline social support was not a significant moderator. Researchers and practitioners should explore the value of online spaces for youth who may not have access to the same level and kind of offline resources needed to promote coping and resilience as compared to youth in communities with high resource density.
... LGBQ youth reported that supportive friend reactions included accepting the information without commotion, being open-minded, signaling that they had suspected the news, continuing to be loving or caring, and respecting youth's LGBQ friends (Benhorin, 2008). Friends can also play an important role as allies (Roe, 2015). Support from friends who are also LGBQ may be particularly helpful because youth feel more comfortable talking with them about LGBQ issues, have a sense of shared experience, get advice about challenging issues that others have already navigated (e.g., difficult reactions from family members), and see positive LGBQ role models who are happy and comfortable with their identity (Benhorin, 2008;Roe, 2015). ...
... Friends can also play an important role as allies (Roe, 2015). Support from friends who are also LGBQ may be particularly helpful because youth feel more comfortable talking with them about LGBQ issues, have a sense of shared experience, get advice about challenging issues that others have already navigated (e.g., difficult reactions from family members), and see positive LGBQ role models who are happy and comfortable with their identity (Benhorin, 2008;Roe, 2015). School-or community-based mutual support group interventions have been shown to be beneficial for LGBQ youth (Dietz & Dettlaff, 1997;Muller & Hartman, 1998;Thomas & Hard, 2011;Welch, 1996). ...
... GSAs are student-run groups or clubs most often found in high schools, which aim to make schools safer and more supportive for LGBQ students and their allies through social support; community-building; and awareness, educational, and advocacy activities. The presence of GSAs in schools is associated with less bullying and more positive school experiences for LGBQ students (Chesir-Teran & Hughes, 2009;Davis, Stafford, & Pullig, 2014;Lee, 2002;Roe, 2015;Russell, Muraco, Subramaniam, & Laub, 2009;Varjas et al., 2007;Walls, Kane, & Wisneski, 2010). The Equal Access Act of 1984 allows GSAs to be organized in schools that receive federal funds (Zirkel, 2005). ...
Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer (LGBQ) youth suffer from depression. Identifying modifiable risk and protective factors for depression can inform the development of psychosocial interventions. The aim of this review is to evaluate the methodological characteristics and summarize the substantive findings of studies examining psychosocial risk and protective factors for depression among LGBQ youth. Eight bibliographic databases were searched, and 35 studies that met all inclusion criteria were included for review. Results show that prominent risk factors for depression include internalized LGBQ-related oppression, stress from hiding and managing a socially stigmatized identity, maladaptive coping, parental rejection, abuse and other traumatic events, negative interpersonal interactions, negative religious experiences, school bullying victimization, and violence victimization in community settings. Prominent protective factors include a positive LGBQ identity, self-esteem, social support from friends, and family support. LGBQ youth may face an array of threats to their mental health originating from multiple socioecological levels.
... Despite the lack of empirical investigation into the effects of social supports on sexual minority identity development, theoretical developmental models have been used to encourage development of programs, supports, and interventions with various social systems such as families, schools, social service providers, religious organizations, and communities (e.g., Mallon, 2010;Roe, 2015;Walls et al., 2013). Within this literature, the support provided by individuals, groups, and programs has been assumed to be able to meet the sexual minority identity developmental needs of the attendant individuals (Tharinger & Wells, 2000). ...
... Within this literature, the support provided by individuals, groups, and programs has been assumed to be able to meet the sexual minority identity developmental needs of the attendant individuals (Tharinger & Wells, 2000). Yet, while research has spotlighted the positive effects of organizations geared toward adolescents and young adults who identify as a sexual minority (Roe, 2015;Walls et al., 2013), aside from the work of Sheets and Mohr (2009) there have been no attempts to systematically consider which types of support positively or negatively impact the development of a sexual minority identity. Responding to the lack of literature examining the connection of social supports to sexual minority identity formation, this study was designed to evaluate which areas of social support best predicted eight domains of sexual minority identity formation. ...
... This study looked only at the effects of social supports on various aspects of sexual minority identity development, not on the overall well-being of individuals who identify as a sexual minority. The importance of positive school and community environments for the safety, social and emotional well-being, postsecondary educational success, and career development of individuals who identify as a sexual minority has been well-documented (e.g., Fine, 2016;Kosciw et al., 2011;Roe, 2015;Schmidt, Miles, & Welsh, 2011;Walls et al., 2013), and the positive impact demonstrated should not be depreciated. Instead, further research may be needed to examine the processes by which these supports are helpful and the reasons these social supports did not contribute to positive sexual minority identity development. ...
This study examined the impact of five domains of social support (a campus group for individuals who identify as a sexual minority, family, friends, significant others, and faith communities) on eight aspects of sexual minority identity development (identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity, identity affirmation, acceptance concerns, identity superiority, concealment motivation, identity centrality, and difficulty in the identity development process). Support from a sexuality-specific campus group was the strongest predictor, followed by support from family members. Supports from friends and significant others had no significant impact on any aspect of sexual minority identity development, while faith community support was not correlated with identity development. Identifying as lesbian, bisexual, or as another sexual minority compared to identifying as gay also impacted sexual minority identity development.
... The study conducted by Roe (2015), examined the role of school social workers in supporting LGBT youths, they explored how gay and bisexual adolescents perceive peer support. The research revealed that while these teens receive assistance from their friends, they also express concerns about potential judgment from non-LGBTQ+ peers. ...
... The study of Roe (2015) discusses how school social workers can assist LGBT youths in public schools. They conducted a study where they explored how gay and bisexual teens perceive support from their peers. ...
In education, the stories of LGBTQIA+ students are one of the most powerful tales of hardship. It uncovers a wide range of experiences, much like opening a box full of obstacles and successes. This study primarily aimed to delve into and provide a comprehensive understanding of the struggles and successes of LGBTQIA+ students at Morong National High School. The researchers used self-reported data from in-depth semi-structured interviews involving 20 students, five per grade level, from Grades 7 to 10 as the main instrument and were interpreted using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to identify patterns or themes within the qualitative data. The student-respondents were selected through purposive sampling ensuring representation from diverse backgrounds. As the respondents shared their stories, the researchers found that some LGBTQIA+ students experience gradual teasing from their fellow learners. Even though they faced such challenges, they succeeded in breaking stereotypes and excelled academically. They also demonstrated their skills and abilities in sports, leadership, and other extracurricular pursuits. As a coping mechanism, the respondents mentioned that they seek support from friends and other support groups. Their hobbies and engagement in various activities help divert their attention from gender-based discrimination. Therefore, the results indicate that we need to work together in schools and communities to make everyone feel included. This research tells us that we must create safe places for LGBTQIA+ students so they don't face discrimination or bullying. Schools should let students talk about their experiences and feel like they belong. If schools show understanding and help with education, they can help LGBTQIA+ students do well.
... Notably, support from friends who also identify as LGBTQ+ can be particularly beneficial. Such support provides a comfortable space for discussing LGBTQ+ issues, fosters a sense of shared experience, offers guidance on navigating challenging situations (such as difficult family reactions), and introduces positive role models who are content and at ease with their LGBTQ+ identity [35]. Regarding the matter of inclusive environments, a recent study conducted by Wilson and Cariola [36] provides evidence that such environments, in conjunction with antidiscrimination policies, serve to mitigate the challenges faced by sexual and gender minority youth in comparison to their counterparts. ...
Objective
This study investigates the well-being and needs of LGBTQ+ youth in Northwest Arkansas, aiming to understand factors influencing their quality of life and inform supportive policies and practices.
Methods
This exploratory, descriptive evaluation used a sequential explanatory mixed methods design to explore LGBTQ+ youth well-being and needs in Northwest Arkansas. 218 online survey respondents and six interviewees under 21 who self-identified as LGBTQ+ participated. Adult stakeholders (n = 16) also completed complementary interviews providing their perceptions of the needs and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth in the area.
Results
The findings highlight the crucial need for confidantes (82.5% of respondents) and a sense of safety within homes (80.3%). Notably, 51.8% sought mental health care. The qualitative interviews uncovered five themes regarding LGBTQ+ youth’s perceived quality of life, echoed in additional perspectives from adult stakeholders.
Conclusions
While many of the participating youth felt safe and supported at the time of data collection, enhancing well-being for LGBTQ+ youth beyond the study’s context requires strategies such as promoting community acceptance, creating supportive spaces, and enhancing empathetic engagement among adults. Adult stakeholders were keenly aware of the roles that politics and education played along with the importance of access to resources and safe spaces. These findings support inclusive policies and programs to foster a more equitable environment in the state and beyond.
... Family and peers comprise the social microsystems in which LGB individuals are embedded, and they can profoundly influence LGB individuals' health [7][8][9][10][11]. Sexual stigma from family and peers indicates the ignorance, prejudice and discrimination enacted by family members and peers toward sexual minorities [12,13]. ...
This study aimed to examine the moderating factors of the association between perceived sexual stigma from family and peers and internalized homonegativity, as well as to compare the effects of perceived sexual stigma from family and peers and internalized homonegativity on loneliness, depression, and anxiety in gay and bisexual men. In total, 400 gay and bisexual men participated in this study. The experiences of perceived sexual stigma from family and peers on the Homosexuality subscale of the HIV and Homosexuality Related Stigma Scale, internalized homonegativity on the Measure of Internalized Sexual Stigma for Lesbians and Gay Men, loneliness on the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), depression on the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, and anxiety on the State subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were collected. The results indicated that perceived sexual stigma from family and peers was significantly associated with internalized homonegativity in both gay and bisexual men, and that sexual orientation moderated the association. Moreover, the association between internalized homonegativity and loneliness was significantly greater than that between perceived sexual stigma from family and peers and loneliness, although no significant differences were observed in their associations with depression and anxiety. Intervention programs that promote changes in the attitudes toward gay and bisexual men among the general population are needed to help prevent the development of internalized homonegativity and further loneliness, depression and anxiety.
... In a study examining belongingness through the lens of first-year lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, and queer students, Vaccaro and Newman (2016a) found that college belonging appeared to be fostered simply through awareness that LGBT services and programs were readily available. In fact, even participants who had not participated in LGBT organizations or events noted their positive impact on college belonging (Vaccaro & Newman, 2016a), a finding consistent with other studies (e.g., Roe, 2015;Wilkens, 2015). Furthermore, all participants expressed that campus-wide messages conveying acceptance and support for ...
The current study explored whether affiliating with an LGBT peer crowd on a college campus differentially predicts college adjustment (including loneliness, college belongingness, academic well-being, and stress), as opposed to affiliating with a non-LGBT peer crowd. Based on a sample of 692 students from a small liberal arts college in Southern California, factor and path analyses were carried out. Results indicated that, of all the crowd affiliations, affiliating with an LGBT peer crowd was the strongest predictor of loneliness, academic well-being, and stress. However, affiliating with an LGBT peer crowd was not the strongest predictor of college belongingness. Implications and applications of these results are discussed.
... Further, Sanders et al. (2017) found that both peers and adults were important sources of support in development, depending on the context in which the youth were developing. Although one study utilized qualitative analysis to explore the role of peer support in LGBTQ youth development (Roe, 2015), very few studies have utilized qualitative methods to explore the role of peers in development. ...
This study applies the theory of positive youth development (Lerner et al., 2010) and the youth systems framework (Varga & Zaff, 2018) to the examination of supportive peer and adult relationships across multiple contexts in which youth develop. Results of egocentric social network analysis indicated that high school‐aged youth nominated significantly more adults than middle school‐aged youth. Peers and adults both acted as important sources of support, although often the types of support they offer differ. Outdegree centrality of peers was a significant predictor of character. The size of a participant's youth system, measured as the number of contexts accessed, along with average closeness in adult relationships, was a significant predictor of contribution. Thematic analysis of interview data identified four themes, aligned with the five actions of developmental relationships, as contributing factors to youth–adult closeness and youth perceptions of support (Pekel et al., 2018). Implications for youth–adult relationships are discussed.
... ECOMAP TO ASSIST COMING The healthy development youths' sexual and/or gender minority identities is crucial for their well-being. Positive development of these identities has been closely tied to the amount and quality of social, familial, and professional supports youth receive, and both are related to improved psychosocial functioning, increased school attendance and performance, reduced selfharm, reduced risk behaviors, and enhanced overall well-being (Brandon-Friedman & Kim, 2016;Higa et al., 2014;Roe, 2015). Alternatively, hiding these identities has been linked with increased mental health concerns, substance abuse and risk behavior concerns (Rosario, Schrimshaw, & Hunter, 2011). ...
... Formal and informal peer support are both powerful protective factors for SGM youth-and many of those peer relationships are formed in school (Roe, 2015). Supportive peer relationships with allies and other SGM young people can protect against negative mental health outcomes for youth experiencing minority stress (Mills-Koonce, Rehder, & McCurdy, 2018). ...
In 2014, Leelah Alcorn, a homeschooled transgender teenager in the United States, died by suicide after enduring months of social isolation and her parent’s repeated efforts to change her gender identity. Sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) youth who are, like Leelah, homeschooled in the U.S. do not have access to the institutional and relational supports afforded to SGM youth in public schools. This study examines how variations in educational setting, family support, internet access, and peer relationships influence mental health outcomes in a sample of 651 sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) young adults who were primarily homeschooled in Christian homes. Participants reported extremely high rates of mental illness (87%) suicidal ideation (72%), suicide attempts (22%) self-harm (66%), and substance abuse (29%). Regression analysis revealed that a positive family attitude toward SGM people (although rare) and access to the internet were the most significant protective factors against negative mental health outcomes in this sample. This study explores the unique vulnerabilities of SGM youth in Christian homeschool settings and has implications for educators, policy makers, health care providers, and mental health and social service professionals. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the experiences of homeschooled SGM youth.
... At the same time, they begin to speak out about their emerging identities, they refuse to have their identity reduced to sexual attraction, simply embracing it as one of the many things important about them (Cohler, 2009). An important protective factor for LGBTQIAP+ young people involves supportive relationships with peers and faculty members (Doty, Willoughby, Lindahl, & Malik, 2010;Roe, 2015;Vaccaro, 2012). Although these relationships do not JOURNAL OF BACCALAUREATE SOCIAL WORK minimize the negative effects of marginalization and victimization, they still have a significant positive impact (Mustanski, Newcomb, & Garofalo, 2011). ...
Affinity groups are brave spaces convened by undergraduate social work faculty members for students who do not identify with dominant groups. Affinity groups are offered in response to diverse students' experiences of isolation and microaggressions as well as episodes of religious discrimination and flagrant racist, xenophobic, and homophobic actions. The term brave space is chosen to demonstrate that many spaces are never totally safe for those who experience oppression. The affinity groups offered at a midsized public university include Students of Color, LGBTQIAP+, and Coexist. Benefits of group experiences for students include identity development, within-group diversity, social networks, professional development, and faculty–student relationships. Benefits for the undergraduate social work department include modeling strong social work community and group practice, implementation of the implicit curriculum, and a more welcoming social work program for all students. Challenges include protecting group members from dominant group curiosity and microaggressions and accounting for faculty time and effort.
... It is important to note that research on LGB youth in some cases is relevant to transgender youth, but not always. A qualitative study conducted with seven youth that identified as LGBT highlighted the importance of peer support in helping youth to feel safe and valued (Roe, 2015). Moreover, having a positive relationship with an educator is associated with both academic success and social-emotional regulation (Spilt, Hughes, Wu, & Kwok, 2012). ...
Gender identity formation is a key part of normal adolescent development (Stieglitz, 2010). For transgender youth this is a multistage process that can be challenging both for the youth and for their families. In this sub analysis, we describe the journey transgender youth and their families experience throughout the stages of transitioning. Perspectives were solicited from transgender youth (age 14–22 years) and parents of transgender youth. Theoretical thematic analysis was used to find common themes using Atlas.ti software. Thirty-three participants (15 youth, 18 parents) were recruited, 16 of which were interviewed. Analysis revealed almost all of the youth and caregiver participants initially lacked the language and knowledge to accurately describe feelings of gender confusion. Once embarking on the transition process participants experienced both positive and negative reactions from families, friends and peers, school administrators and providers. However, all participants described transitioning as a rewarding and vital experience. Finally, many participants reported needing and or seeking mental health care, but experienced barriers. Youth and caregivers described varying experiences for youth throughout the recognition, coming out and transitioning process that impacted the journey. This is one of the first studies to collect an in-depth recall of the transitioning process from youth and caregiver perspectives, giving youth and families a voice to enable a greater understanding of the process of gender transition during adolescence.
... ECOMAP TO ASSIST COMING The healthy development youths' sexual and/or gender minority identities is crucial for their well-being. Positive development of these identities has been closely tied to the amount and quality of social, familial, and professional supports youth receive, and both are related to improved psychosocial functioning, increased school attendance and performance, reduced selfharm, reduced risk behaviors, and enhanced overall well-being (Brandon-Friedman & Kim, 2016;Higa et al., 2014;Roe, 2015). Alternatively, hiding these identities has been linked with increased mental health concerns, substance abuse and risk behavior concerns (Rosario, Schrimshaw, & Hunter, 2011). ...
This activity is designed to help youth visualize their social environment in order to assist them with managing the disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity to others. Through this exercise, youth and therapists will be able to identify individuals within youths’ environments to whom the youth would like to come out and to whom they do not feel comfortable doing so. It will also assist youth and therapists with understanding the interactions between the myriad parties involved in youths’ lives.
... This study was designed to address gaps in the literature regarding parental support for LGBTQ adolescents. Those data presented here are related only to those responses to questions related to parent and family support for LGBTQ youth and were part of a larger study examining protective factors across a number of domains, including school and among peers (Roe, 2013;2014). A phenomenological approach was chosen over other qualitative approaches, as there is limited research regarding the perceptions of parental support from LGBTQ adolescents (Moustakas, 1994). ...
This qualitative study examines gay and bisexual adolescent experiences with parental and family support using a phenomenological inquiry approach. Four themes related to peer support emerged from the data including (1) coming out was necessary; (2) initial reactions of parents are most often not positive; (3) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth view religion as a barrier to support from parents; and (4) LGBTQ youth want explicit support from parents and family members. Implications for counselors working with parents, families, and individuals are discussed.
Workplace disparities persist for marginalized individuals—people from groups historically excluded from dominant social, economic, educational, and/or cultural life—who report lower well-being, strained relationships, and worse career outcomes compared to their advantaged counterparts. Allyship behaviors, often defined as actions by advantaged individuals to support marginalized individuals, have been promoted as solutions to such disparities. However, scholarly understanding of allyship behaviors’ consequences remains fragmented due to unclear definitions and conceptualizations, a predominant conceptual focus on antecedents, and limited integration with organizational theorizing. Consequently, we develop the mitigation–signaling model, which synthesizes definitions, categorizes behaviors, and disentangles conceptual overlaps to clarify why, how, and when allyship behaviors impact marginalized individuals’ work outcomes. The mitigation path focuses on the role of allyship behaviors in reducing mechanisms of disadvantage, that is, interpersonal discrimination, structural discrimination, and unequal access to resources. The signaling path emphasizes socioemotional signals (e.g., social value and safety) that marginalized individuals interpret from allyship behaviors. By bridging allyship and organizational scholarship, we provide a framework that clarifies conceptual boundaries, identifies empirical limitations, and offers a roadmap for advancing theory and practice. Our review highlights opportunities for organizationally relevant research and actionable interventions to address workplace disparities for marginalized individuals.
Like all young people (YP), those who are gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) spend their youth exploring and discovering their identities; but unlike their peers, they must consider whether, how, and when to disclose their GSD identity to others in a dynamic process of visibility management (VM). At school, GSD YP actively test social reactions, interpret attitudes, and assess safety, ultimately seeking belonging as their authentic selves. Our systematic review explored findings from 16 qualitative studies capturing GSD YPs experiences of managing visibility in schools internationally. Data were thematically synthesized, and seven themes were constructed. The process of visibility management is fluid, a negotiation with social norms that GSD YP's very existence transgresses. YP search for, and through activism actively shape, accepting environments in which they can safely be their authentic selves. GSD YP are actively asking school staff for help in creating open communities where all YP can find a place to belong, to fight to be visible. We offer some suggestions for how we might begin.
Mental ill-health, neglect and family/relationship issues are among many risk factors that can compromise students’ academic success and well-being. Such psychosocial and emotional afflictions are often invoked as contributors to student absenteeism, sub-standard academic performance and destructive school behaviours. School-based support services (SBSS) work to identify at-risk students and prevent, assess and intervene in the barriers that impede their success. Yet, conceptualisations of risk and students at-risk are as multifarious as the social, political and professional ideologies that render them intelligible as such. This study examines risk at the intersection of education and student welfare through SBSS, the interprofessional collaborations of social work, counselling, pastoral care, guidance and discipline services in schools. This study employs critical psychosocial and anti-oppressive theoretical perspectives to analyse the activations of SBSS by risk concerns, and the multiple ways they simultaneously construct risk while responding to students deemed at-risk. Through interpretivist qualitative research methods, this study highlights the interpersonal relations, professional practices, and social and educational policies that condition SBSS, and their role in shaping the hidden curriculum of schooling. This study comprises three interrelated studies that draw upon primary research in South China and Hong Kong schools. The first is an autoethnographic account of ‘Western’ psycho-educational programmes and interventions structured around a risk prevention imaginary in a Southern Chinese school. By analysing personal and professional socialisation where ‘Chinese’ and ‘Canadian’ worldviews converge, I problematise professional education as a condition of possibility for knowledge creation concerning risk and intervention in international social work encounters. The second examines risk in relation to heteronormativity as it shapes the secondary school experiences of Hong Kong sexual and gender minorities (SGM). I combine ecological systems and intersectionality theories with an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology of semi-structured interviews (n=8) to analyse SGM identity formations and pedagogical-therapeutic relationalities with SBSS staff. In situating heteronormativity within a structural context of (post)colonialism, Christianity and Confucianism, I delimit possibilities for school social work that traverses micro-affirmative and anti-oppressive practices. The third examines specific contexts of SBSS praxis in three Hong Kong secondary schools through case studies with an ethnographic lens, written as confessional tales. I foreground facets of school cultures and practitioner narratives through observational fieldwork and semi-structured interviews (n=45) to illustrate how risk becomes constructed, activating psychosocial and educational intervention technologies in the formal and informal curricula. I develop the concept of psy-curriculum to explain how psychologised discourses—diffracted through divergent assessments of student academic performance, behaviours and afflictions—influence school lives and what comprises an ‘at-risk’ student itself. This study is an interdisciplinary engagement with the cultural politics of school-based support services, unsettling the traditional interventionism of school social work research. It contextualises the psychosocial construction of risk through the psy-curriculum, which forms at the interstices of education, welfare and mental health services. Adopting phenomenological and ethnographic sensibilities, this study uncovers the diffusion of risk in how it is compelled by global power structures, shapes lived experiences, and is reproduced by the stratified education system of a highly unequal society.
The present study explores how identifying with the gender and sexual minority (GSM) community can be an important developmental milestone and potential protective factor for GSM individuals. Cross-sectional data were collected from the United States using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to garner a nationally representative sample of individuals (n = 365) between the ages of 18-29 (M = 25.07 years old) who self-identified as a sexual and/or gender minority. Results of a structural equation model indicated that a higher sense of GSM identity salience was associated with greater attribution of their negative experiences to prejudice, which was associated with decreased well-being. Importantly, identifying with the GSM community was a protective factor for this population. Whereas higher attributions of negative experiences to prejudice were directly associated with decreases in well-being, when explained through group identification, the association was positive. This paper extends current research on the GSM community by situating group identification as a process of one’s overall identity development and exploring the protective factors related to this identification. The study highlights the important ways in which connecting with other gender and sexual minority individuals can protect the individuals in this population from the negative outcomes of prejudice.
Threats to adolescent and young adult health and well-being come primarily from behavior and life choices. The purpose of this study was to understand the role that peer and parent relationships have on reckless and deviant behaviors during the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Select Wave I and Wave III variables from the Add Health database were studied. Adolescent reckless behavior was significantly associated with emerging adult deviant behavior, Wald χ²(1, N = 4,615) = 105, p < .001, β = 0.152, SE(β) = 0.015 Adolescent reckless behavior increases the probability of emerging adult deviant behavior among adolescents having lower scores on the quality of peer relationships, Wald χ²(1, N = 4,615) = 56, p < .001, β = 0.062, SE(β) = 0.008, and the quality of parent relationships, Wald χ²(1, N = 4,545) = 36, p < .001 β = 0.052, SE(β) = 0.009.
This study is the first contribution to the understanding of gender differences in best friendship patterns of adolescents sexual minorities. We explored friendship patterns, self-disclosure, and internalized sexual stigma in an Italian sample of lesbian (N = 202) and gay (N = 201) adolescents (aged 14-22 years). We found gender differences in cross-sex and cross-orientation patterns of best friendship. Gay men (52%) reported more cross-sex friendships than lesbians (20%). The 52% of participants had cross-orientation friendships, and no differences were found between lesbians and gay men. Lesbian and gay men with a cross-orientation best friend showed a lower level of internalized sexual stigma. Gay men with cross-orientation friendship showed a low level of internalized sexual stigma and less conflict with a best friend. For gay men and lesbian participants, self-disclosure to the best friend was better predicted by internalized sexual stigma and self-disclosure. Future studies may provide direct comparisons between heterosexual and sexual minority individuals.
Over the past decade, several large-scale school-based studies of adolescents in Canada and the U.S. have documented health disparities for lesbian, gay and bisexual teens compared to their heterosexual peers, such as higher rates of suicide attempts, homelessness, and substance use. Many of these disparities have been linked to "enacted stigma," or the higher rates of harassment, discrimination, and sexual or physical violence that sexual minority youth experience at home, at school, and in the community. An unexpected health disparity for lesbia n, gay and bisexual youth is their significantly higher risk of teen pregnancy involvement (between two and seven times the rate of their heterosexual peers), especially in light of declining trends in teen pregnancy across North America since the early 1990s. What is behind this higher risk? Is it getting better or worse? Using the province-wide cluster-stratified British Columbia Adolescent Health Surveys from 1992, 1998, and 2003, this paper explores the trends in pregnancy involvement, related sexual behaviours, and exposure to forms of enacted stigma that may help explain this particular health disparity for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth in Canada.
The present investigation explored gender differences in sexual identity development--first same-sex attractions, self-labeling, same-sex sexual contact, and disclosure--among 164 sexual-minority young adults. Based on interviews, results indicated the value of assessing gender differences in the context, timing, spacing, and sequencing of sexual identity milestones. Adolescent males had an earlier onset of all milestones except disclosure. The context for sexual identity milestones were likely to be emotionally oriented for young women and sexually oriented for young men. The gap from first same-sex attractions (8-9 years of age) to first disclosure (around 18 years) averaged 10 years for both sexes. Young women followed label-first developmental trajectories; men were more likely to pursue sex before identifying themselves as gay. In terms of achieving sexual identity milestones, gender mattered, but it was not everything.
Using data from the Add Health Study, the first nationally representative study of adolescents in the U.S. to include information on same-sex romantic attraction, we examine school outcomes (school troubles, attitudes, and performance) of same-sex attracted youth within the context of four relational domains: family, teacher, social, and peer. Results indicate that each domain plays a role in the negative attitudes about school held by these sexual minority youth. However, sexual minority youths' feelings about their teachers play an important role in explaining school troubles.
This chapter examines the role of the Internet in the sexual identity development process of gay and bisexual male adolescents. These adolescents reported using a range of Internet applications (Web sites, discussion boards, IM, email, etc.) that provided them with varying degrees of anonymity and connection to others. A youth's comfort with and acceptance of his sexual identity often influenced both his use of the various Internet modalities and the degree to which he revealed personal information during these interactions. The participants' narratives revealed that their use of the Internet and its applications could be categorized into four increasing levels of connection with other people: (1) anonymous exploration, (2) casual posting, (3) online conversations, and (4) offline meetings.
Developmental psychologists generally have ignored the processes by which sexual-minority adolescents come to recognize themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and to disclose that information to others. One of the most critical events for sexual-minority adolescents is disclosing their sexual identity to family members. In this article, empirical research is addressed that documents the percentage of youths who disclose to their families, the time during the "coming-out" process that youths disclose to family members, and the manner in which disclosure occurs. Mother-father differences are explored, and, when applicable, data on disclosure to siblings and extended family members are reviewed. The implications of these findings for youths, parents, and the family system are summarized and future research needs are suggested.
Development of social identity is crucial for adolescents. Because of the difficulty in developing a healthy identity in a homophobic world, gay and lesbian adolescents are an at-risk population. The counselor's role regarding the process of social identity formation, issues of isolation, educational issues, family issues, and health risks is discussed. (EMK)
This study examined the relations between school climate and school adjustment among 101 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) high school students and the moderating influence of social support on those relations. Students completed surveys to assess three aspects of the school climate (the school's exclusion/inclusion of LGB people, personal victimization in school for being LGB, and social support from teachers) as well as social support from family and close friends. Criterion variables were GPA, school belonging, and discipline problems. School climate variables explained significant amounts of variance in all criterion variables, after controlling for prior GPA, and there were no moderating effects of parent or friend support. Cluster analyses revealed one small group (n = 14) of highly vulnerable youth who were the least adjusted, most victimized, and least supported. Implications for teachers, counselors, and future research are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 159–172, 2005.
Sexual minority adolescents—those self-identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) or with same-sex desires or sexual experiences—report higher rates of victimization and suicidality than their heterosexual peers, yet little empirical research has examined school factors associated with these risks. This study used data from the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Massachusetts Department of Education, 2000), matched with school-level data from state records and school principals, to compare the safety of 202 sexual minority adolescents in 52 schools with and without support groups for LGB students, to investigate the relationship between perceived staff support and safety, and to explore other school factors associated with victimization and suicidality among these youth. As hypothesized, sexual minority adolescents in schools with LGB support groups reported lower rates of victimization and suicide attempts than those in other schools. Victimization and perceived staff support predicted suicidality. Several additional school factors were associated with the safety of sexual minority students. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 573–589, 2006.
This study investigated the development and consequences of off-line and online victimization during adolescence. We examined the number and shapes of off-line and online victimization trajectories, the relationship between trajectories of off-line and online victimization, and their effect on life satisfaction.
A four-wave panel study with 6-month time intervals was conducted among a representative sample of Dutch adolescents aged 12-17 years (N = 1,762). We used group-based modeling to investigate the victimization trajectories.
Three off-line victimization trajectories could be distinguished. One group followed a trajectory of low to no victimization experiences across adolescence. A second group followed a pathway of moderate and decreasing victimization. A third group followed a pathway of high and decreasing victimization. Two groups in online victimization could be distinguished. One group followed a trajectory of low to no victimization experiences. A second group followed a pathway of moderate victimization that peaked at age 14. Dual-trajectory analyses revealed a substantial overlap between off-line and online victimization trajectories. Finally, victimization and life satisfaction were longitudinally related; moderate and high victimization trajectories resulted in lower levels of life satisfaction during wave 4.
The overlap between the off-line and online victimization trajectories and their negative consequences on life satisfaction suggests that prevention of victimization should focus on both types of victimization. The results suggest that peer victimization should not be studied without considering adolescent peer relationships on the Internet.
Researchers have found that adolescents who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual (GLB) are at a higher risk for increased substance use and mental health symptoms. The current study is a secondary analysis of two clinical trials for street-living youth. This analysis examines self-identification as GLB as a moderator of treatment effects and addresses whether street-living GLB youth respond differently to a therapeutic intervention than non-GLB street-living youth. Comparisons were made of treatment outcomes on two categories of variables (drug use and mental health symptoms) among 244 homeless GLB and non-GLB identified adolescents. Overall, GLB and non-GLB adolescents showed similar reductions in drug use and mental health symptoms. However, compared to non-GLB adolescents, GLB adolescents showed greater improvement in reduction of drug use and internalizing and depressive symptom scores. While both groups reported less drug use and fewer mental health symptoms from baseline to post-intervention, GLB youth's scores improved more drastically. Implications of using the identified treatment intervention are discussed.
Some recent studies suggest that sexual minorities may have worse health-related outcomes during adolescence because they report lower levels of family connectedness, a key protective resource. Using data from wave 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 11,153; 50.6% female; mean age = 21.8 years), this study extends prior research on adolescents to young adults. We examine whether lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults report lower levels of parental support than their heterosexual peers and whether differences in parental support help explain why LGB young adults tend to have worse health-related outcomes. We find that lesbian and bisexual women report lower levels of parental support than heterosexual women and that gay men report lower levels of parental support than bisexual and heterosexual men. Compared to heterosexual women, lesbian and bisexual women have higher odds of suicidal thoughts and recent drug use; bisexual women also have higher odds of elevated depressive symptomatology and heavy drinking. Gay men have higher odds of suicidal thoughts than heterosexual men. With the exception of heavy drinking, parental support either partially or fully mediates each of the observed associations. Even though the transition from adolescence to young adulthood is characterized by increased independence from parents, parental support remains an important correlate of health-related outcomes during this stage of life. Sexual minorities report lower levels of parental support during young adulthood, which helps explain why they have worse health-related outcomes. Interventions designed to strengthen relationships between LGB young adults and their parents could lead to a reduction in health disparities related to sexual orientation.
Adolescents face a variety of challenges in their transition to adulthood; lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents face these typical challenges as well as additional challenges that are related to the social stigma of their sexual orientation. For some lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents, this stigma may induce psychosocial stress, leading to increased health risk behaviors and poorer health outcomes. In this article, we review data on the health and health care of LGB adolescents. We examine health indicators and health risks for LGB youth, including substance use, eating disorders, suicidality, risky sexual behaviors, violence exposure and victimization, and homelessness. We also examine health care provision and utilization for LGB youth. Lastly, we discuss ways in which researchers and clinicians can improve LGB adolescent health and health care.
This paper presents a model of understanding adolescent vulnerability processes across six interrelated domains namely: individual family peers school immediate social environments and macro level environments. Furthermore it tests three possible ways that protective factors alter risky health behaviors such as violence cocaine and sexual intercourse. In this paper "vulnerability" is referred to as an interactive process between the social contexts in which a young person lives and a set of underlying factors that when present place the young person "at risk" for negative outcomes. It is noted that vulnerabilities may result from being reared in disadvantaged environments such as in substance-abusing families and abusive/violent environment and it can result from individual characteristics such as aggressive temperament. Overall it is concluded that the goal must not only be the avoidance of risk but the achievement of maximal potential for each adolescent.
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) youths report elevated levels of substance use relative to heterosexual youths, but reasons for this disparity have received scant attention. This report longitudinally examined three hypothesized explanations for cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use among 156 GLB youths. Counter to two hypotheses, neither a history of childhood sexual abuse nor recent experiences of gay-related stressful life events were associated with increased substance use over time. However, the hypothesis concerning the coming-out process was supported by significant nonlinear associations of involvement in gay-related (recreational and social) activities with changes in alcohol use at 12 months and changes in marijuana use at 6 months and 12 months. Specifically, as involvement in gay-related activities increased, alcohol and marijuana use was found to initially increase, but then, substance use declined as involvement in gay-related activities continued to increase. These findings offer a potential explanation for high levels of substance use among GLB youths and suggest potential areas for intervention to prevent or decrease substance use among these youths.
To examine gay youth experiences within the context of normal adolescent development.
Thematic analyses of interviews with 13 self-identified gay male youth, aged 16-22 years, each reporting minimal sexual identity distress, were completed. Interviews focused on: (a) descriptions of developmental changes perceived to occur for all adolescents, (b) descriptions of the participants' developmental experience, and (c) participants' direct comparisons of their perceptions of gay and nongay developmental experience. Data were analyzed by two investigators who, after initial review of the interview transcripts, developed a unified coding template to permit systematic analysis of the transcripts for recurrent themes.
(a) Few (2 of 13) participants reported overall developmental experience markedly different from nongay peers. (b) Peer interaction was seen as the domain most different from that of nongay peers. (c) Open gay self-identification altered, generally positively, all peer interaction. (d) Increased peer interaction enhanced maturity in other domains. (e) Family dynamics were not substantively altered by open gay self-identification. (f) Middle and high school were identified as relatively hostile environments in which to openly identify as gay, affecting the timing and the extent of self-disclosure. (g) Developmental progress showed asynchrony across developmental domains.
General developmental dysfunction is not inevitable for gay adolescents, nor is identifiable personal or family pathology directly related to sexual identity.