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School belonging can facilitate positive youth development and educational outcomes. Given that LGBTQ+ youth face marginalization in schools, there is a need to identify school supports that could still promote their sense of school belonging. We considered Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) as LGBTQ+ affirming school clubs. Among 92 LGBTQ+ student members of GSAs in nine states who completed weekly diary surveys over an 8-week period (M age = 15.83 years, SD = 1.29; 50% youth of color; 51% trans or non-binary), we considered whether a youth's GSA experiences from meeting to meeting predicted their relative levels of school belonging in days following these meetings. There was significant within-individual (37%) and between-individual (63%) variability in youth's sense of school belonging during this time. Youth reported relatively higher school belonging on days following GSA meetings where they perceived greater group support (p =.04) and took on more leadership (p =.01). Furthermore, youth who, on average, reported greater advisor responsiveness (p =.01) and leadership (p =.01) in GSA meetings over the 8-week period reported greater school belonging than others. Findings showcase the dynamic variability in LGBTQ+ youth's sense of school belonging from week to week and carry implications for how schools and GSAs can support LGBTQ+ youth and sustain their ties to school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools are responsible for promoting LGBTQ+ students' academic success, yet many LGBTQ+ students contend with unsupportive learning environments. Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs)—clubs that affirm students' sexual orientation and gender diversity—could promote academic engagement and protect against disaffection. We aimed to identify GSA meeting-to-meeting experiences that predicted students' ensuing academic engagement and disaffection over an eight-week weekly survey study. Participants were 92 LGBTQ+ GSA members (50% students of color, 51% trans/nonbinary, M age = 15.83). Participants completed once-weekly surveys over an 8-week period on their experiences in their most recently attended GSA meeting and their current level of academic engagement and disaffection with learning. Participants reported relatively lower disaffection on days after meetings where they had perceived greater advisor responsiveness, socialized with peers, and discussed academic issues. They reported relatively greater engagement on days after meetings where they took on more leadership. Participants who led more, on average, over the eight-week period reported less disaffection and greater engagement than others. GSAs may contribute partially to LGBTQ+ students' educational experiences by guarding against academic disaffection and, to a lesser extent, promoting their academic engagement from week to week. More research needs to consider how GSAs and other school-based resources promote learning among LGBTQ+ students. • GSA meeting experiences predicted LGBTQ+ youth's academic engagement and disaffection. • Students reported greater engagement after meetings when they took on more leadership. • Greater advisor responsiveness in meetings predicted lower disaffection. • Socializing and discussing academic issues in meetings predicted lower disaffection. • GSAs may promote conditions for LGBTQ+ student engagement and temper disaffection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether students' experiences in their Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) over the school year predicted positive development or thriving in the form of higher relative levels of hope at the end of the school year and whether GSA experiences also promoted resilience by attenuating the link between victimization and lower relative levels of hope among 366 student members of 38 GSAs (M age = 15.53 years; 85% sexual minority; 55% cisgender female; 72% White). Our findings indicated that, when considered one at a time, students' perceptions of receiving more social-emotional support, receiving more information and resources, and undertaking more advocacy in their GSA throughout the school year predicted higher relative levels of hope at the end of that school year (adjusted for students' initial hope at the beginning of the year). When considering all three GSA-based experiences concurrently, receiving more information and resources in their GSA had a unique predictive association with hope and it reduced the extent to which reported experiences of victimization at school predicted diminished hope at the end of the year. There was a similar, though statistically non-significant, moderating trend for advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify sex-stratified trends in victimization risk specific to heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning youth while considering changes in sexual orientation-disparities from 2009 to 2017. Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data collected biennially (five waves; 2009–2017) were pooled across 56 jurisdictions and 454,715 students for one of the most nationally representative samples of heterosexual and sexual minority youth to date. We analyzed a seven-item victimization risk assessment using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended trend analysis approach. We used logistic regression with year-by-identity interactions to test whether sexual orientation-based disparities widened, narrowed, or were maintained over time. Victimization risk declined significantly for male and female bisexual and questioning youth, lesbian, gay, and heterosexual youth. Disparities narrowed between bisexual, questioning, and lesbian females and heterosexual females and between bisexual and heterosexual males. Nevertheless, sexual orientation-based disparities remained significant for all sexual minority youth in 2017. Distinct patterns of change in victimization risk for specific groups of sexual minority youth underscore the need to consider variability within sexual minority youth communities; treating them as a singular group could mask nuanced disparities. Some of the relatively small decreases in victimization risk also suggest the need for interventions to address a more comprehensive set of victimization-related risks beyond bullying and needed efforts that are not limited to the immediate school context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Students report that teachers often do not intervene against homophobic language. Among 283 teachers in 16 Norwegian schools, several factors distinguished which teachers reported more consistently intervening and more frequently discussing homophobic language with students. Women, but not men, who more strongly believed that homophobic language should not be allowed and who believed it was harmful reported more consistent intervention. Women and men who reported greater self-efficacy to intervene reported more consistent intervention. In a second model, teachers who reported receiving education on homophobic bullying and who reported greater self-efficacy to intervene more frequently discussed homophobic language with students. Highlights • Teachers have a responsibility to counteract homophobic behavior in schools. • Teachers' attitudes, support for one another, self-efficacy, and training were related to reported intervening. • The factors above can be targeted to engage more teachers to address homophobic language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civic engagement among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and heterosexual cisgender allies can challenge oppressive systems. Among 295 youth in 33 Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs; 69% LGBQ, 68% cisgender female, 68% white, M age  = 16.07), we examined whether greater GSA involvement was associated with greater general civic engagement, as well as participation in greater LGBTQ-specific advocacy and awareness-raising efforts. Further, we tested whether these associations were partly mediated through members' sense of agency. Greater GSA involvement was associated with greater civic engagement, advocacy, and awareness-raising; associations did not differ based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Finally, the association between GSA involvement and civic engagement was partially mediated through youths' greater sense of agency. Agency did not mediate the association between GSA involvement and engagement in advocacy or awareness-raising efforts. The results suggest GSAs are settings with potential to foster students' capacity to be active and engaged citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gay–Straight Alliances (GSAs) can foster action-oriented engagement among straight youth allies. The objective of the current exploratory study was to identify factors related to straight youth allies' greater engagement in GSAs. Participants included 156 straight members of 48 high school GSAs (78.2% female, M age = 15.71) who attended regional GSA conferences in 2013. The survey asked youth to report their engagement in their GSA based on multiple items, and it measured factors external to the GSA and GSA-specific experiences that could be related to GSA engagement. In an overall model with all factors as independent variables and engagement as the dependent variable, initial positive feelings after the first few GSA meetings and having more current LGBT friends emerged as the clearest contributors. This study broadens our understanding of how factors external to the GSA and GSA-specific experiences relate to straight youths' role in promoting social change through their GSA engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on homophobic behavior has focused on students engaging in this behavior or students toward whom this behavior is directed. There has been little attention to the large segment of students who observe this behavior, including active bystanders who defend or support students when homophobic behavior occurs. Among 722 high school students (55% female, 87% white, 86% heterosexual), 66.8% had observed at least one instance of homophobic behavior in the past 30 days. Gender (in this case, girls more so than boys), leadership, courage, altruism, justice sensitivity, and number of LGBT friends were associated with engagement in more active bystander behavior in response to observing homophobic behavior. Further, gender, courage, altruism, and number of LGBT friends each made unique contributions in accounting for variability in students' defending behavior in a comprehensive regression model. Findings highlight qualities that interventionists should cultivate in students that could lead to more active bystander engagement against homophobic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examined the use of homophobic epithets in association with multiple bullying roles (i.e., primary bully, reinforcing and assisting the bully, defending the victim, and remaining uninvolved) among 253 high school students. Use of homophobic epithets was significantly associated with the primary bully role and the supportive roles of reinforcing and assisting the bully for boys and girls. Remaining uninvolved was associated with less use of homophobic language only for girls. Furthermore, engaging in multiple bullying roles predicted more frequent use of homophobic epithets among boys. However, a more complex relation existed for girls. The reinforcer role significantly predicted more frequent use of homophobic epithets for girls, but to a greater extent for those who also engaged in the primary bully role. Findings provide a broader social understanding of how homophobic language may be used as part of bullying, and carry several implications for professionals in schools. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

LGBQ+ youth (youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or with diverse identities other than straight or heterosexual) contend with unique stressors in the context of their peer relationships. They also access critical support from peers. These circumstances likely influence how LGBQ+ youth navigate and experience their relationships. Nevertheless, research remains limited in its breadth and depth of coverage of LGBQ+ youth's peer relationships. We suggest ways to advance such research within the following areas: (a) identity development in the peer context; (b) identity disclosure and "coming out" to peers; (c) initiating, developing, and maintaining friendships under marginalizing conditions; (d) homophily or diversity in LGBQ+ youth's friendships; (e) visualizing LGBQ+ youth's positions in their peer networks; (f) bias-based harassment, hypervigilance, and rejection sensitivity; and (g) peer action and advocacy. This work could yield richer understandings of how LGBQ+ youth cultivate meaningful, lasting peer relationships and thrive. • Discrimination and stigma come to bear on how LGBQ+ youth navigate and experience their friendships. • Peers, especially friends, have key roles in promoting thriving and resilience among LGBQ+ youth. • We cover identity and relationship development, disclosure, diverse friendships, network features, stressors, and advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: To examine how two forms of interstudent harassment, cyber and bias-based harassment, are associated with academic, substance use, and mental health problems. Methods: We used a population-based survey of 17,366 middle and high school students that assessed harassment due to race/ethnicity or sexual orientation, and harassment through the Internet or text messaging along with other forms of interstudent harassment. Results: Odds ratios indicated that students experiencing both cyber and bias-based harassment were at the greatest risk for adjustment problems across all indicators, with suicidal ideation and attempts having the largest risk differences. Conclusions: Assessments of adolescent health and adjustment should include questions regarding both cyber and bias-based harassment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]