Search

Summary Due to the focus of micro-practice interventions on clinical outcomes and macro-practice interventions on structural outcomes, limited research exists on the clinical benefits resulting from clients’ involvement in macro therapeutic interventions (i.e. structural interventions that target community, organizational, systems, and/or policy-level change and which also have clinical benefits to clients or consumers). In response to this knowledge gap, the authors present four case studies of macro therapeutic interventions in the areas of social enterprise creation, community-based participatory research, transformative organizing, and community-based partnerships. Findings Collectively, these interventions draw from community, economic, and social development theory, empowerment theory, feminist theory, and critical theory. The authors synthesize the key intervention components across case studies that contribute to clinical and collective empowerment outcomes. Applications The authors then offer recommendations to the social work profession for developing, implementing, and evaluating macro therapeutic interventions within clinical practice settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender young people are at increased risk for bullying, harassment, and negative mental health and academic outcomes compared to the general population as well as compared to other members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and similarly identified (LGBTQQ) communities. To inform interventions to support transgender students, the present study investigates students' willingness to intervene when witnessing anti-transgender harassment, using data collected from a participatory action research project investigating school climate. Multi-step linear regression was used to test the impacts of hearing transphobic language and witnessing teachers and others students intervene, while controlling for demographics and school. Hostile climate negatively predicted intervention intentions while witnessing peer intervention positively predicted likelihood to intervene. Witnessing teacher intervention did not significantly predict the outcome. These findings suggest that youth-led interventions in peer networks might be effective in diminishing transphobic bullying and supporting the healthy development of transgender young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has documented the importance of empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth and creating LGBTQQ-focused institutional changes in schools. However, little is known about youth-centered strategies in creating such institutional changes. This study examines how participatory action research (PAR) and theater can effect change among adult powerholders in schools and contribute to LGBTQQ-youth-centered changes in schools. Findings suggest a mutually reinforcing relationship between PAR and theater in elevating youth voices and motivating adults to work toward individual and institutional change that is responsive to LGBTQQ students’ needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bullying and harassment are systemic problems in schools, especially for sexual minority youth. Previous research suggests the importance of addressing student intervention in cases of bullying, but little is known about how to encourage this kind of intervention, particularly in response to anti-LGBTQ bullying. The present study used data collected through a participatory action research project to examine three factors'' impact on students'' intentions to intervene: hearing homophobic language, seeing teachers intervene, and seeing other students intervene. In the final model, seeing other students intervene (β=.19, p<.001) had a more significant positive effect on a students'' own likelihood to intervene than seeing teachers intervene (β=.07, p<.05). In multivariate analysis, frequency of hearing homophobic language did not impact student''s likelihood to intervene. Findings suggest the importance of youth leadership in multi-level anti-bullying programs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Exposure to curriculum on race linked with higher intervention in anti-LGBTQ behaviors. • LGBTQ Curricular content not linked with higher intervention in anti-LGBTQ behaviors. • Frequency of hearing anti-LGBTQ speech positively related to intervention behaviors. • Overt slurs were negatively associated with likely intervention behaviors. • Cisgender heterosexual girls/women reported greater intervention behaviors. Research suggests that, through direct intervention and role modeling, student peers may be particularly well-suited to address bullying and discrimination based on gender and sexuality. To investigate the factors predicting students' self-reported intervention behaviors when witnessing harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, this study analyzes youth-led survey data collected at five Midwestern high schools (n = 1046). The sample was majority white (65.8%), cisgender (90.8%), and heterosexual (78.4%). We found that in addition to overall school climate and witnessing others intervene, schools having race-related curriculum significantly predicted intervention behaviors around gender and sexuality and that LGBTQ-related curricula did not predict such actions. The authors propose that the discrepancy may be due to an association between race curricula and social justice frameworks, in contrast with the emphasis on individuality and health in LGBTQ-inclusive curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]