LGB and Questioning Students in Schools: The Moderating Effects of Homophobic Bullying and School Climate on Negative Outcomes

• Published in: Journal of youth and adolescence Vol. 38; no. 7; pp. 989 - 1000
• Main Authors: Birkett, Michelle, Espelage, Dorothy L, Koenig, Brian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Boston : Springer US 01.08.2009; Springer US; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Achievement; Adolescent; Adolescents; Aggression; At Risk Persons; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Bisexuality - psychology; Bisexuality - statistics & numerical data; Bullying; Child and School Psychology; Children & youth; Clinical Psychology; Comparative Analysis; Context Effect; Depression (Psychology); Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Drug Abuse; Drug Use; Educational Environment; Empirical Research; Female; Gays & lesbians; Grade 7; Grade 8; Health Psychology; Heterosexuality; History of Psychology; Homophobia; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Female - psychology; Homosexuality, Female - statistics & numerical data; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Homosexuality, Male - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Junior High Schools; Law and Psychology; Low Achievement; Male; Middle School Students; Minority students; Psychological Patterns; Psychology; School Culture; School districts; School Environment; Schools; Sexual Harassment - psychology; Sexual Harassment - statistics & numerical data; Sexual Orientation; Social Bias; Social Environment; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Suicide; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data; Suicides & suicide attempts; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transgender persons; Truancy; Victimization; Victims of Crime; Bullying; Homosexuality; Homophobia; Victimization; Middle school students; School climate; Moderators
• ISSN: 0047-2891; 1573-6601; 1573-6601
• DOI: 10.1007/s10964-008-9389-1

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual students (LGB) and those questioning their sexual orientation are often at great risk for negative outcomes like depression, suicidality, drug use, and school difficulties (Elliot and Kilpatrick, How to Stop Bullying, A KIDSCAPE Guide to Training, 1994; Mufoz-Plaza et al., High Sch J 85:52-63, 2002; Treadway and Yoakam, J School Health 62(7):352-357, 1992). This study examined how school contextual factors such as homophobic victimization and school climate influence negative outcomes in LGB and questioning middle school students. Participants were 7,376 7th and 8th grade students from a large Midwestern county (50.7% Female, 72.7% White, 7.7% Biracial, 6.9% Black, 5.2% Asian, 3.7% Hispanic, and 2.2% reported “other”). LGB and sexually questioning youth were more likely to report high levels of bullying, homophobic victimization, and various negative outcomes than heterosexual youth. Students who were questioning their sexual orientation reported the most bullying, the most homophobic victimization, the most drug use, the most feelings of depression and suicidality, and more truancy than either heterosexual or LGB students. A positive school climate and a lack of homophobic victimization moderated the differences among sexual orientation status and outcomes. Results indicate that schools have the ability to lessen negative outcomes for LGB and sexually questioning students through creating positive climates and reducing homophobic teasing.