NCJ Number
227776
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 38 Issue: 7 Dated: August 2009 Pages: 989-1000
Date Published
August 2009
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined how school contextual factors, such as homophobic victimization and school climate influenced negative outcomes in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and questioning middle school students.
Abstract
This study demonstrated that the high rates of negative outcomes for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and questioning students might be preventable with a positive school climate and absence of homophobic teasing. All the children in the study, regardless of sexual orientation reported the lowest levels of depression/suicidality, the lowest levels of alcohol/marijuana use, and the lowest levels of truancy when in a positive school climate and when not experiencing homophobic teasing. It was suggested that schools with low homophobic teasing and a positive school climate would drastically reduce the prevalence of negative outcomes in LGB youth. The vast amount of negative outcomes in LGB and questioning youth and the preliminary literature on homophobic school climates require a better understanding of the school environment and its role in either protecting or harming students. This study of 7,376 seventh and eighth grade students from a large Midwestern county, examined how school contextual factors, such as school climate and homophobic teasing affect drug use, depression/suicidality, and truancy among LGB, sexually questioning, and heterosexual youth. Table, figures, and references