TY - JOUR
T1 - High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Young Adult Well-Being
T2 - An Examination of GSA Presence, Participation, and Perceived Effectiveness
AU - Toomey, Russell B.
AU - Ryan, Caitlin
AU - Diaz, Rafael M.
AU - Russell, Stephen T.
N1 - Funding Information:
The initial research for this study was supported by the California Endowment. Support for the first author’s time spent on the revisions of this article was provided by a National Institute of Mental Health Training Grant (T32 MH018387) to Russell B. Toomey. We thank the many adolescents, families, and young adults who shared their lives and experiences with us.
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) are student-led, school-based clubs that aim to provide a safe environment in the school context for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, as well as their straight allies. The present study examines the potential for GSAs to support positive youth development and to reduce associations among LGBT-specific school victimization and negative young adult well-being. The sample includes 245 LGBT young adults, ages 21-25, who retrospectively reported on the presence of a GSA in their high school, their participation in their school's GSA, and their perceptions of whether or not their GSA was effective in improving school safety. Findings revealed that the presence of a GSA, participation in a GSA, and perceived GSA effectiveness in promoting school safety were differentially associated with young adult well-being and, in some cases, buffered the negative association between LGBT-specific school victimization and well-being. Implications for future research and schools are discussed.
AB - Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) are student-led, school-based clubs that aim to provide a safe environment in the school context for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, as well as their straight allies. The present study examines the potential for GSAs to support positive youth development and to reduce associations among LGBT-specific school victimization and negative young adult well-being. The sample includes 245 LGBT young adults, ages 21-25, who retrospectively reported on the presence of a GSA in their high school, their participation in their school's GSA, and their perceptions of whether or not their GSA was effective in improving school safety. Findings revealed that the presence of a GSA, participation in a GSA, and perceived GSA effectiveness in promoting school safety were differentially associated with young adult well-being and, in some cases, buffered the negative association between LGBT-specific school victimization and well-being. Implications for future research and schools are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1080/10888691.2011.607378
DO - 10.1080/10888691.2011.607378
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84855932420
SN - 1088-8691
VL - 15
SP - 175
EP - 185
JO - Applied Developmental Science
JF - Applied Developmental Science
IS - 4
ER -