TY - JOUR
T1 - Gay-straight alliances are associated with student health
T2 - A multischool comparison of LGBTQ and heterosexual youth
AU - Poteat, V. Paul
AU - Sinclair, Katerina O.
AU - Digiovanni, Craig D.
AU - Koenig, Brian W.
AU - Russell, Stephen T.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - Few studies have examined school-based factors associated with variability in the victimization and health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Among 15,965 students in 45 Wisconsin schools, we identified differences based on Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) presence. Youth in schools with GSAs reported less truancy, smoking, drinking, suicide attempts, and sex with casual partners than those in schools without GSAs, with this difference being more sizable for LGBTQ than heterosexual youth. GSA-based differences were greatest for sexual minority girls on reported sex while using drugs. GSA effects were nonsignificant for general or homophobic victimization, grades, and school belonging. Findings suggest that GSAs could contribute to attenuating a range of health risks, particularly for LGBTQ youth.
AB - Few studies have examined school-based factors associated with variability in the victimization and health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Among 15,965 students in 45 Wisconsin schools, we identified differences based on Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) presence. Youth in schools with GSAs reported less truancy, smoking, drinking, suicide attempts, and sex with casual partners than those in schools without GSAs, with this difference being more sizable for LGBTQ than heterosexual youth. GSA-based differences were greatest for sexual minority girls on reported sex while using drugs. GSA effects were nonsignificant for general or homophobic victimization, grades, and school belonging. Findings suggest that GSAs could contribute to attenuating a range of health risks, particularly for LGBTQ youth.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00832.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00832.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84878116540
SN - 1050-8392
VL - 23
SP - 319
EP - 330
JO - Journal of Research on Adolescence
JF - Journal of Research on Adolescence
IS - 2
ER -
