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The workforce of mental health providers serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning (LGBTQ+) youth lags far behind the demand for LGBTQ-focused mental health care. Unsatisfactory training and a lack of standardized training metrics for accredited programs perpetuate the lack of preparedness among providers. The presence of LGBTQ+ faculty and mentors in medical education increases the amount of LGBTQ+ content taught to trainees and improves professional development for LGBTQ+ trainees. Inclusive workplace practices and affirming care policies may also improve retention and recruitment of LGBTQ-serving mental health providers.

This article explores young people's emotional associations with activism in relation to their social identity, sense of agency and activist participation. Focusing on three activist topics—climate change, anti-racism, feminism and LGBTQ rights—the objective is to analyse emotional nuances both within and across these. Building on sociopolitical development theory, emotions affect the sense of (in)justice and participation in activism and are also central to how young people view their own agency. The focus group research in the United Kingdom showed that different emotional associations drove motivation for political action and that social identity influenced interest in and experiences with activism. While activism represented the self-actualization of values, identity-rights activism came with the added burden of pressure and personal risks for some. The findings highlight the complexity of emotions motivating activism, the significance of identity and values for finding belonging, and the intersectional dimension of one's sense of agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exclusionary discipline is a major contributor to school pushout and the school-to-prison pipeline, which criminalizes educational environments through processes and practices that often result in the incarceration of youth. While there is extensive evidence on the pathways and impacts of exclusionary discipline for students of color, its impacts on LGBTQ youth are understudied. This scoping review aims to identify and synthesize the existing empirical research concerning exclusionary school discipline of LGBTQ youth. Following the six-stage approach outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute, an electronic search was conducted from a total of nine databases. Our search yielded a total of 740 results; of those, 10 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Findings indicate that LGBTQ youth, especially girls, experience exclusionary discipline at disproportionate rates. These youth are often disciplined as part of their own victimization, by both peers and adults in schools. While race and the need for intersectional understanding of LGBTQ exclusionary discipline were often touched on, most studies do not include race in their analysis. Future research that examines LGBTQ exclusionary discipline through an intersectional lens is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study uses in‐depth interviews and ecomapping techniques to explore LGBTQ youths' relationships with child welfare professionals and other affiliated, nonparental adults (CWP/ANPAs) who play a primary role in providing them with care and services. Background: Supportive relationships with caring adults are essential in reducing minority stress impacts and improving outcomes for LGBTQ foster youth, who often face victimization affecting their access to support. However, limited knowledge exists regarding LGBTQ foster youths' relationships with CWP/ANPAs and the role of relational support in their identity disclosure and access to appropriate care and services. Method: Twenty‐one LGBTQ foster youth, aged 17 to 21, participated in interviews and constructed visual diagrams of their relationships with CWP/ANPAs. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: Findings highlight the need for CWP/ANPAs to improve relationships with LGBTQ foster youth. These improvements can be achieved through engagement in attitudes and practices that facilitate relationship development (e.g., empathy, respect, affirmation, knowledge, responsiveness), and reduce existing barriers (e.g., neglect, discrimination, mistreatment, lack of knowledge, fear of rejection). Conclusions: To provide better support LGBTQ foster youth, CWP/ANPAs and child welfare agencies should increase their knowledge and skills, be more responsive to LGBTQ youths' specific needs, and implement inclusive policies and practice standards. Implications: CWP/ANPAs and agencies working with LGBTQ foster youth must develop an awareness and understanding of the strengths, needs, and challenges of LGBTQ foster youth to reduce stigma, bias, and discrimination in the foster care system and engage in affirming actions and practices that create a more inclusive environment for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Affirming spaces have been associated with improved mental health outcomes for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) adolescents. METHODS: With data from adolescents currently enrolled in middle or high school across the United States, this study used topic modeling methods to examine students' reports of what they were looking for in LGBTQ‐affirming schools and, separately, the association of LGBTQ‐affirming schools with suicide risk reduction. RESULTS: Topic models demonstrated consistent themes in how students determined that their school was affirming, such as LGBTQ clubs, teachers requesting pronouns, pride flags, and accepting peers. Students of color uniquely looked for actionable responses in addressing LGBTQ issues. Transgender and nonbinary students required explicit mention of support for transgender issues. Quantitatively, LGBTQ students who reported that their school was LGBTQ‐affirming had 20% lower odds of attempting suicide in the past year (adjusted odds ratio = 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that schools must be safe for all youth and implementing policies that make LGBTQ students feel seen and supported in their identities is a protective factor for mental health. IMPLICATIONS.: School policies must ensure that youth have access to supportive people, symbols of support, and LGBTQ clubs and that they are also salient to LGBTQ students of color and transgender and nonbinary students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-Spirit and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and gender-diverse (2SLGBTQ+) adolescents and young adults (AYA) in Indigenous communities face disparate physical and mental health outcomes in the absence of connection to culture and Indigenous identity. There are limited data on the unique needs and strengths of this population. This work aimed to highlight the barriers and needs of 2SLGBTQ+ AYA and the link between cultural connection, pride, and resilience and positive health outcomes for these adolescents. This analysis of 15-25-year-old participants is derived from a mixed-methods study, which assessed the barriers to seeking and accessing care for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. Survey and short-answer responses were collected through REDCap, and an analysis was performed using SAS 9.4 (quantitative) and ATLAS.ti (qualitative short answer). Responses demonstrate high levels of pride and connectedness among 2SLGBTQ+ AYA and that affirming healthcare is critical in supporting positive outcomes. Results also suggest a need for increased education regarding Indigenous worldviews, health, barriers to care, and historical contexts besides gender diversity. In conclusion, results indicate that pride and connection are inherent in 2SLGBTQ+ AYA communities, which can serve as protective factors to improve health outcomes. Using this knowledge, providers can support youth clinically as well as through policy and advocacy action. Family, community, and health provider support allow for identity formation and expression. Findings can also be applied to gender-diverse AYA in non-Indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to explore the inclusiveness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) adolescents in junior high school from the perspective of LGBTQ adolescents in Sweden. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 GBTQ adolescents aged 16 to 19. The study was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Dnr: 2019-03816). A Braun and Clark inspired thematic analysis was performed through a theoretical lens inspired by Berger and Luckmann. The analysis resulted in three themes: (a) a navigator among peers as friends and bullies, (b) adults in school supported inclusion in and exclusion from the group of peers, and (c) non-heterosexuality and non-binary gender understanding as teaching projects in junior high school. In summary the LGBTQ adolescents face multiple challenges related to identity development in hetero- and cisnormative school environments, including adults and peers and their (re)actions. Inclusive and exclusive strategies exercised by the self, adults, and peers affect adolescents' experiences of their school time. Initiatives to increase awareness and knowledge about the LGBTQ subject in school can lead to enhanced inclusion but also to an enhanced sense of not belonging. Inclusive initiatives can contribute to enhanced inclusion or its opposite, motivating further research into LGBTQ adolescents' experiences of junior high school from a relational perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender and sexual minoritized (GSM) youth are more likely than their cisgender heterosexual peers to experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and practice bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadism, and masochism (BDSM). Although IPV and BDSM are vastly different phenomena, superficial similarities (e.g., violent behaviors) can lead to misidentification in both practice and research. This study explores how GSM youth (a) experience and understand the differences between IPV and BDSM and (b) report consensual violent and controlling behaviors when answering items on IPV measures. Nine demographically diverse GSM youth (mean age 21.2) were drawn from a GSM youth-serving organization in the Northeast United States. Participants were interviewed about their experiences with IPV, BDSM, and consent. Participants also were asked to describe the process of completing two standardized measures of IPV. Interviews were coded using conventional and directed content analysis. Eight of nine participants reported IPV victimization, and seven reported BDSM interest or experiences. Four themes emerged: (a) GSM youth experience a spectrum of IPV victimization, often related to their gender and sexual identity; (b) interest in BDSM does not imply an acceptance of IPV; (c) GSM youth have a nuanced understanding of consent and strategies to communicate consent with their partners; and (d) Consent is the organizing framework by which GSM youth distinguish IPV from BDSM. Participants reported various degrees of certainty that they would include BDSM behaviors when answering questions about violent behaviors. Findings underscore the importance of conceptually and operationally differentiating IPV and BDSM. Programs that serve GSM youth should address IPV victimization, offer sex-positive education regarding healthy relationships and BDSM, and assist GSM youth in differentiating abusive behaviors from consensual BDSM. Standardized measures that do not conflate BDSM with IPV are crucial for studying IPV among GSM youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of factors may contribute to disparities in mental health and suicidality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) students, including parental abuse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey included a nationally representative sample of US high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current analyses examined experiences of verbal and physical abuse in the home with mental health and suicidality among LGBQ students compared to heterosexual students. The relationship between abuse and mental health and suicidality was significant for all students; however, LGBQ students experienced substantially more abuse and had significantly poorer mental health and greater suicidality than heterosexual students. Experiencing verbal or physical abuse in the home is strongly associated with poor mental health and suicidality among youth, regardless of sexual identity; however, among LGBQ students who experienced abuse, the prevalence of poor mental health and suicidality reached crisis levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engagement in youth programs is a potential means to promote health and well-being across populations of young people. Safer spaces in these youth programs are likely critical in fostering positive health outcomes, but current research on the links between safer spaces and health is limited. In this exploratory study, we examined links between program safety in youth development programs and minoritized status, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychosomatic health complaints. Participants (N  = 282; Mean age = 16.97 years; SD = 2.97) self-identified across various minority status groups, including LGBTQ (30%) and a range of perceived income levels. We tested a statistical model in which safer spaces, LGBTQ status and perceived income predicted HRQoL and health complaints in youth development program participants. LGBTQ status and lower perceived income were related to lower HRQoL and more health complaints, and safer space in youth development programs was related to better HRQoL. We also found an interaction effect, such that safer spaces in youth programs appeared to be especially beneficial for HRQoL for youth with higher incomes. Findings reinforce past research on LGBTQ status and income as factors for youth wellness and mental health. Findings also suggest that perceived safer spaces in youth development programs support better HRQoL and lower health complaints, across populations of participating youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LGBTQ youth often experience unsafe school climates and are at greater risk for compromised mental health relative to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. The psychological mediation model posits that these health inequities are produced by minority stress, which operates through several key mechanisms: rumination, emotion regulation, and coping. Efforts toward designing social services that might address these mechanisms, and thus improve LGBTQ youth well-being, are limited. Informed by empirical research and therapeutic practices, Be YOU! was conceived as a school-based empowerment program that provides LGBTQ youth with an accessible, safe space where they build skills to reduce rumination and promote emotion regulation and coping strategies for dealing with minority stressors. Developed collaboratively among a local LGBTQ youth center, a local school-based community organization, and university researchers, the Be YOU! partnership effectively circumvented barriers to accessing social services for LGBTQ youth. Findings from the pilot program evaluation showed that youth participation was associated with increased emotion regulation and decreased rumination. The practical impact on and positive feedback from LGBTQ youth suggest that there are measurable benefits and long-term promise in strategic multi-sector partnerships that address social services needs of LGBTQ youth and strengthen their ability to navigate minority stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth dating violence and youth suicide are both major public health concerns. However, little research examines the intersection of these issues among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The current study examined the association between physical dating violence victimization and mental health using online survey data collected from 39,126 LGBTQ youth of ages 13 to 24 in the United States. Overall, 11% of LGBTQ youth who were in a relationship in the past year experienced physical dating violence victimization, with 4% having experienced it once and 7% having experienced it multiple times. Rates of experiencing physical dating violence victimization varied based on a number of youth characteristics and environmental factors. Past-year physical dating violence victimization was associated with nearly four times the odds of attempting suicide in the past year. Given the intersection of suicide risk and dating violence among LGBTQ youth, dating violence prevention organizations must be LGBTQ-inclusive, and suicide prevention must be equipped to address dating violence victimization. The higher rates of physical dating violence victimization among multiple marginalized and socioeconomically disadvantaged LGBTQ youth suggest the need for an intersectional approach that addresses the structural factors that place LGBTQ youth at risk for physical dating violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social isolation describes a lack of a sense of belonging, the inability to engage and connect with others, and the neglect or deterioration of social relationships. This conceptual review describes how social isolation and connectedness affect the well-being of LGBTQ youth. Most studies focused on the psychosocial experience of social isolation, which led to suicide attempt, self-harm, sexual risk, and substance use. Scholarly work has drawn from a variety of frameworks, ranging from minority stress theory to positive youth development, to devise interventions that target isolation and connectedness in schools, community-based organisations, and in online environments. Finally, we discuss the importance of addressing social, cultural, and structural dimensions of social isolation in order to foster enabling environments that allow LGBTQ youth to thrive. This conceptual review suggests that individual and social transformations are the result of young people's meaningful participation in shaping their environment, which is made possible when their capabilities are fostered through social well-being. Our findings suggest the need for measures of social isolation among youth in databanks produced by global institutions, such as the World Health Organization.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-identified (LGBTQ) youth of color face poorer psychosocial health outcomes than their non-LGBTQ peers. Research suggests school-based and community activities promote psychosocial health for LGBTQ youth, but study samples are predominantly White. This study tested whether school enrollment and seven community activities were associated with LGBTQ community connectedness, happiness, and health among Black and Latinx LGBTQ youth. This study used a subsample of Black and Latinx LGBTQ adolescents and young adults (N = 472) from the Social Justice Sexuality project. Mean differences in study variables were examined across intersectional racial/gender identity categories. Multiple regression analyses assessed the association of school enrollment and community activities with psychosocial health outcomes, accounting for covariates. Social activities for LGBTQ people (ß = 0.19) and LGBTQ people of color (POC; ß = 0.15) were associated with greater LGBTQ connectedness. While moderate religious services attendance (ß = −0.13) was associated with lower LGBTQ connectedness, high attendance was associated with greater happiness (ß = 0.13) and health (ß = 0.12). Social activities for LGBTQ-POC (ß = 0.13) were also associated with better health. School enrollment was not significantly associated with any outcomes and Latinx transgender and diverse youth had the lowest happiness and health. Social activities for LGBTQ people and LGBTQ-POC may play a role in the social connectedness and health of Black and Latinx LGBTQ youth, while frequent religious service attendance may support health and happiness. Schools and faith institutions should ensure their institutions are welcoming to LGBTQ youth. Public health workers might facilitate the involvement and inclusion of LGBTQ youth, while policy should support funding for community activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Studies using geospatial data to understand LGBTQ+-friendly sexual health and wellness resource availability have often focused on services catered to adults. While HIV rates have increased in adolescents in recent years, few studies have explored disparities in resource access for adolescent gay and bisexual men (AGBMSM). Methods: We used geospatial data of resources (collected and verified 2017–2018) from the iReach app to understand disparities in resource access for AGBMSM within and between 4 high HIV prevalence corridors in the US. Results: AGBMSM in non-metro areas had access to fewer resources and some rural counties had no LGBTQ+ -friendly resources. Corridors comprising states with legacies of punitive laws targeting sexual and gender minorities demonstrate stark geographic disparities across the US. Conclusions: Policy-makers must understand the granularity of disparities within regions. Online resources may be able to surmount LGBTQ+ resource deserts. However, physical access to LGBTQ+ -friendly services must be improved as a fundamental strategy for reducing HIV among AGBMSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the policing of gendered embodiment is central to ethnographic accounts of sexual minority bullying, data limitations have prevented population-level analyses of how gender expression shapes bullying victimization. Using novel data on gender expression, I document the dynamics of gender policing in contemporary American high schools. Analyzing population-representative surveys from eight states and 10 school districts, I examine how students' assigned sex, sexual identity, and gender expression intersectionally shape their risk for bullying. Consistent with patterns of cultural sexism that stigmatize male "femininity" more harshly than female "masculinity," I find that gender expression powerfully stratifies bullying among boys but is seemingly unrelated to bullying for girls. Boys who report feeling seen as "very feminine" are 3.5 times more likely to be bullied than their "very masculine" peers. By contrast, girls' bullying rates are roughly constant across the gender expression spectrum. Stratifying by sexuality, I find that highly conforming gender expression offers some protection against bullying for sexual minority boys but no protection for sexual minority girls. This study illustrates the value of gradational measures of gendered embodiment and makes newly visible the powerful sanctions pressuring boys into narrow, heteronormative enactments of masculinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies suggest that LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, plus) youth are at increased risk of engaging in alcohol and substance use. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many students to isolate in 2020 and 2021, and the impacts of this have been purported to be detrimental. This study examines the prevalence of alcohol and substance use among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) U.S. high school students before the pandemic in 2019 versus 2021. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study used results from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the 2021 Adolescent Behavior and Experiences Survey (ABES). The 2019 YRBS included 13,677 questionnaires from 136 schools, and the 2021 ABES included 7,705 questionnaires from 128 schools. We selected 15 questions concerning alcohol and substance use common to both surveys and compared results for LGB students in 2019 versus 2021. Results: We found a decrease in prevalence for all 15 alcohol and substance-userelated questions from 2019 to 2021. The most statistically significant differences were observed in E-cigarette use, marijuana use, and obtaining an illegal drug on school property. Conclusions: The results suggest substantial decreases in alcohol and substance use among LGB high school students from 2019 to 2021. These decreases have occurred in the context of the pandemic and reported increases in mental health problems among this population. These outcomes should prompt further research into how social interactions at school (or the lack thereof) among LGBTQ+ youth contribute to patterns of alcohol and substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender youth in the United States need support in public schools (Kosciw et al., 2020). This growing population experiences bullying, discrimination, and violence at higher rates than their cisgender counterparts, and this has negative impacts on their educational success and mental health (Garthe et al., 2022; GLSEN, 2021; Goldblum et al., 2012; Johns et al., 2019; Jones, 2018; Sausa, 2005). State and federal non-discrimination policies affect the degree to which transgender students feel safe (Fields & Wotipka, 2022). Yet, research shows that non-discrimination laws are ultimately limited in their impact, and schools need to establish their own policies and practices to support transgender youth (Meyer & Keenan, 2018; Roberts & Marx, 2018; Spade, 2015). A total of 42 peer-reviewed journal articles were identified that address how to best support transgender students in secondary public schools. These articles were analyzed, and four major themes emerged as successful interventions: professional development for teachers, transgender-inclusive school policies, gay-straight alliances, and trans visibility in the curriculum. Drawing on Meyer's (2003) and Testa et al.'s (2015) adaptation of minority stress theory, this review shows how schools have the potential to act as a buffer against minority stress for transgender youth. Suggestions for further studies based on gaps include a push for more intersectional research and research centered on school practices that currently work for transgender students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The presence of a Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) reduces risk for sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth across a variety of domains, but little is known about the adult advisor‐level variables contributing to these observed benefits. This study explored relationships between advisors' tenure, receipt of professional development, self‐efficacy, and social emotional competencies (SECs). Participants (N = 167) completed an online survey measuring their own social‐emotional competencies and their perceived self‐efficacy as a GSA advisor. As hypothesized, results demonstrated relationships between advisor tenure and self‐efficacy and between advisor receipt of professional development and self‐efficacy. Further, advisor SEC significantly predicted self‐efficacy, and both receipt of professional development and SEC positively predicted perceived self‐efficacy, as well. Findings point to opportunities for providing training to GSA advisors, with a focus on SEC to increase their efficacy in working with SGM youth. Implications for school psychologists are discussed. Practitioner Points: 1.Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) advisors who received role‐specific professional development reported greater self‐efficacy in supporting sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth.2.GSA advisors' own social and emotional competencies were related to greater reported self‐efficacy.3.Professional development focused on GSA advisors' social and emotional skills may increase their perceived capability to support SGM students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are at risk for adverse health outcomes because of stigma and discrimination exposure. Individuals' beliefs about the biological origin of SGM identity are linked to their negative attitudes and biases against SGM populations, which can also apply to pediatric healthcare providers. The current study outlines validation of the Etiology Beliefs about Sexual and Gender Minority Youth (EB-SGM) scale, a 12-item measure designed to assess adults' beliefs about youths' biological versus environmental SGM etiology. College students ( N  = 285; study 1), community adults ( N  = 258; study 2), and pediatric providers ( N  = 104; study 3) completed the EB-SGM and other self-report measures. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in study 1 revealed a three-factor structure: beliefs about gender nonconforming behavior, beliefs about gender identity, and beliefs about sexual attraction/behavior. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in study 2 suggested a bi-factor structure, which was replicated in study 3. The EB-SGM demonstrated adequate concurrent and discriminant validity. We also examined bivariate correlations between etiology beliefs and sociodemographic characteristics across samples. Findings indicate that EB-SGM is a psychometrically sound instrument to measure adults' etiology beliefs. The EB-SGM has the potential to be used as a screening measure to enhance pediatric healthcare providers' SGM training.

Boys and LGBTQ youth, especially those who go missing from home, have recently started to appear in mainstream anti-trafficking discourse as a group of children who are peculiarly vulnerable to human trafficking. This paper reports findings from research with Jamaicans who experienced various forms of violence and exploitation as children. Our data is consistent with the claim that boys and LGBTQ Jamaicans are amongst those who experience forms of violence and exploitation that policy makers often discuss under the heading 'sex trafficking'. However, the same data also challenges the conceptual binaries used to frame assumptions about 'sex trafficking' as a significant threat to Jamaican youth and informs assumptions about missing children as victims of trafficking. In this way, the paper provides empirical support for criticisms of the turn towards including boys and LGBTQ youth as victims of 'sex trafficking', and of dominant discourse on 'child trafficking' more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth experience higher rates of adverse mental health outcomes, most notably suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). The current study examines risk and protective factors for STBs and depression among 1,078 youth in high schools. We examine these outcomes through an intersectional lens, and we extend the use of the minority stress theory framework by focusing on resilience and protective factors and argue that bias against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth should be addressed at the systemic, rather than the individual, level. Our findings suggest that family support is a notable factor protective of depression and suicide-related behavior among LGBTQ youth. Additionally, peer support, help-seeking beliefs, access to medical and counseling services, engaging in healthy activities, spirituality, and having trusted adults are protective factors for some groups. The nuanced findings in this study offer suggestions for school psychologists and professionals to promote healthy and safe school environments. Impact Statement The present study addresses the prevalence of suicide among LGBTQ adolescents and protective factors that may buffer their heightened risk. LGBTQ students are not inherently at risk because of their identities, but because of stigmatization they may face in society. As such, recommendations are provided to guide school psychologists and other professionals to foster a safe and inclusive environment for this population to reduce suicide risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boys and LGBTQ youth, especially those who go missing from home, have recently started to appear in mainstream anti-trafficking discourse as a group of children who are peculiarly vulnerable to human trafficking. This paper reports findings from research with Jamaicans who experienced various forms of violence and exploitation as children. Our data is consistent with the claim that boys and LGBTQ Jamaicans are amongst those who experience forms of violence and exploitation that policy makers often discuss under the heading ‘sex trafficking’. However, the same data also challenges the conceptual binaries used to frame assumptions about ‘sex trafficking’ as a significant threat to Jamaican youth and informs assumptions about missing children as victims of trafficking. In this way, the paper provides empirical support for criticisms of the turn towards including boys and LGBTQ youth as victims of ‘sex trafficking’, and of dominant discourse on ‘child trafficking’ more generally.

Abstract Background Many LGBTQ youth experience rejection and discrimination in their families and schools, and the range of interventions for improving their resilience and well-being is limited. We developed and piloted an LGBTQ-youth-focused intervention to build resilience and promote health equity, called Pride Camp, in an urban environment in the Midwest. Methods Using a mixed-method approach we examined the impact of Pride Camp on resilience and other measures of well-being among LGBTQ high school students who attended camp on a college campus in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Camp attendees and the research sample included a majority proportion of transgender and gender nonbinary (TGN) youth. Results Pre- and post-test data from our quantitative surveys (n = 28), indicated significant increases in resilience, self-esteem, and quality of life in LGBTQ youth who attended camp. Similar results were found among the TGN participants (n = 19). Qualitative data from focus groups indicated that specifically for TGN youth, the affirming environment at the camp provided social opportunities that they had not found elsewhere. Conclusions Findings suggest that the Pride Camp intervention provides a platform for LGBTQ youth to meet peers and engage in LGBTQ communities, improving their resilience and outlook on the future. A larger controlled study of the Pride Camp intervention including measurement of additional specific health outcomes over a longer follow-up period is warranted to examine the impact of this program on health equity.

Exposure to minority stress is the primary mechanism through which lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth experience a greater risk for suicide. The current study examines the association of LGBTQ‐based cumulative minority stress with suicide risk using online survey data collected from 39,126 LGBTQ youth ages 13–24 in the United States. Youth who reported four types of minority stress had nearly 12 times greater odds of attempting suicide compared to those who reported none. Transgender and nonbinary youth and American Indian/Alaskan Native youth had higher odds of reporting three or more minority stress experiences. The strong association of cumulative risk with attempted suicide and disproportionate exposure among marginalized members of the LGBTQ community highlight the need for suicide prevention to prioritize those at greatest risk and for research examining LGBTQ suicide risk to employ cumulative risk models. Highlights: Greater minority stress was associated with greater odds of attempting suicide among LGBTQ youth.The number of risk factors was more predictive of suicide risk than any individual risk factor.Marginalized LGBTQ youth had greater adjusted odds of experiencing more minority stress experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender and sexually diverse (GSD) students face unique challenges in schools due to the privileging of cisgender and heterosexist norms in these settings. In particular, GSD youth who belong to ethnically and racially minoritized groups face further challenges within school environments that disregard their cultural contexts and intersectional identities. It is important for school psychologists to ensure safe and high‐quality mental health, educational, and behavioral supports for these students. One possible avenue for building these types of supports is through school consultation. When school psychologists collaborate with other professionals in a culturally competent, participatory way, their work has the potential to bolster behavioral, academic, and mental health outcomes at the individual, group, and/or systems levels. Adapting Ingraham's multicultural school consultation model, this article proposes a multicultural, GSD affirming school consultation framework that also approaches the experiences of racially and ethnically minoritized individuals through the lenses of intersectionality and minority stress frameworks. Across its five domains, this adapted framework aims to give practitioners and researchers a conceptual foundation to support GSD students of minoritized ethnic and racial identities by considering interactions among consultants, consultees, and clients within their wider school contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools are no different than other political and cultural institutions that have at their foundations assumptions and policies based on stereotypes, hegemonic masculinity, binary notions of gender, and heteronormativity. When these foundations are questioned or challenged, resistance and disruption can occur. While there is evidence of greater acceptance of gender and sexual diversity (GSD) in schools, school professionals are often called upon to address the needs of GSD youth, as school environments may contain systemic barriers that prevent these youth from thriving. Addressing the needs of GSD youth can be complicated by other intersecting identities including race, religion, culture, disability, immigration status, and so forth. This special issue of PITS explores gender and sexual diversity, LGBTQ+identity, and the intersectionality of GSD with other identities that have historically struggled with marginalization and bias. An advocacy stance is proposed that focuses on the unique strengths and resilience of GSD youth to change the narrative from one of clinicalization of GSD youth to one of adaptability and empowerment. The articles in this special issue focus on barriers at multiple levels that impact GSD youth, from systemic barriers in educational contexts to those in the classroom, curriculum, extracurricular activities, and sports. Changing the narrative of GSD youth means focusing on stories of youth empowerment, advocacy, and healthy GSD development, while simultaneously challenging and dismantling the oppressive systems of heterosexism, cissexism, sexism, and racism, among others, that perpetuate unequal educational environments for minoritized student populations. Highlights: Historically, gender and sexual diverse (GSD) youth have been researched from a clinical perspective, focusing on deficits and difficulties, rather than a strength‐based approach.A strengths‐based narrative change is necessary that celebrates GSD youth s perseverance, resilience, acceptance, and advocacy.Youth with identities that have been historically oppressed and marginalized require a narrative change that addresses their intersecting identities and celebrates their unique stories.This special issue of Psychology in the Schools focuses on narrative change that supports GSD youth, from systemic issues in research and policy to school‐level curriculum, pedagogy, and extracurricular activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports participation has been shown to positively affect youth well‐being. However, research has also shown that sports environments can be unsafe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth. Using data from a large study on school‐related experiences of LGBTQ secondary students who reported on their extracurricular activities in school, (N = 15,813), this study examined LGBTQ youth's participation in school sports, the effects of participation on well‐being and school belonging, and whether any such benefits of participation varied by transgender status and gender binary identity. Over a quarter of LGBTQ respondents in our study had participated in school sports, and being transgender and being nonbinary were related to a lower likelihood of sports participation. Transgender males and transgender nonbinary youth had the lowest likelihood of sports participation. In general, LGBTQ youth who participated in sports had increased well‐being and greater school belonging. However, in regard to self‐esteem, transgender nonbinary youth appeared to have greater benefit from participating in sports than did their transgender male and transgender female peers. Considering these results, schools have a responsibility to ensure that school sports are safe and welcoming for LGBTQ youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This symposium article examines important lessons that can be taken from the multiple ways in which children's interests, and in particular ideas about "harm to children," are framed in the recent Fulton v. City of Philadelphia controversy. A close reading of the briefs filed after the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in the case reveals that both sides paid very different attention to LGBTQ youth in framing ideas about whether granting or denying religious exemptions from antidiscrimination laws in child welfare harms children. As explained, the different positionalities of LGBTQ youth in these discussions offer important lessons for child welfare law and policy in a post‐Fulton world. First, the analysis connects these discussions in Fulton to broader histories of child harm concepts being used to facilitate LGBTQ‐related discrimination against both LGBTQ adults and LGBTQ youth in the domains of family and child welfare law. It then considers lessons for lawmakers, policymakers, and child welfare actors relating to the institutional design of child welfare systems, and more specifically, how the special needs of LGBTQ foster youth are addressed within those systems. To examine these points, the analysis presents a typology of four models of LGBTQ child welfare. Finally, the analysis considers the lessons that discussions involving "harm to children" in Fulton offer for the direction of future empirical research that informs the debate over conflicts between religious exemption claims and LGBTQ antidiscrimination laws in child welfare. Key points for the family court community: Important lessons can be taken from the different recognition of LGBTQ youth in how arguments about "harm to children" are framed on both sides in Fulton.The discussions involving "harm to children" in Fulton connect to broader histories of child harm concepts being used to facilitate discrimination against both LGBTQ adults and LGBTQ youth in family and child welfare contexts.Fulton offers important lessons for the institutional design of child welfare systems, and in particular, how those systems meet the needs of LGBTQ foster youth. A typology of four models of LGBTQ child welfare is presented to illustrate these points.Fulton offers lessons for the direction of future empirical research that informs the debate over conflicts between religious exemption claims and LGBTQ antidiscrimination laws in child welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) experience unique challenges related to identity and disclosure, and cope in vibrant ways. Qualitative research has not yet fulsomely explored the risk, resilience, and identity intersections that impact vulnerable SGMY wellbeing. Methods: This digital photo-elicitation study (QueerView) recruited thirty SGMY (aged 14–29) from priority populations that had one or more of the following experiences: trans and gender diverse, homelessness, child welfare, and immigration. From submission of fifteen photos representing resilience and a semi-structured interview via web conferencing, constructivist grounded theory was utilized for multimodal analysis of photos, interview video, and interview transcript. Triangulation, an audit trail, and member checking were employed to support trustworthiness. Results: A visual model emerged showing how participants work towards an integrative self, with themes of reflecting and knowing, discrimination and intersectional challenges, connecting, performing, curating, coping, (re)defining and (re)creating, growing and being. Sub-themes of the impact of family dynamic and values, mental health and trauma, and the cathartic benefit from advocacy and leadership offered insight. Participant images were captured in a digital gallery. Conclusions: QueerView animates the complex lives of multiply marginalized SGMY and their intersectional strengths and challenges while demonstrating the utility of a digital multimodal approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the joyful subjectivity of LGBTQ+ youth. The study analyzes It Gets Better videos for their evolving narratives of queer lives. Using feminist theories, I find complex manners in which the videos script and surveil queer subjects, articulate the transitions associated with coming out, and embrace joyous refusals of victim paradigms. The critique of norms and the production of queer give high school educators a means for seeing, listening to, and constructing communities of difference for queer youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Existing literature links hope and mentoring to positive outcomes, but a gap exists in LGBTQ youth research. • Self-chosen mentors were found to contribute to higher levels of hope among LGBTQ youth. • Internalized homophobia and anti-LGBTQ harassment strongly predicted lower hope levels. • Mentoring significantly reduced associations between risk factors (e.g., gender identity, anti-LGBTQ harassment, internalized homophobia) and hope levels. Based on the minority stress model, which emphasizes the unique risk stressors that impact LGBTQ youths' lives, and the resilience perspective, which emphasizes the interaction between protective and promotive factors in youth and their surroundings, we investigated in this exploratory study the mechanism by which natural mentoring relationships contribute to LGBTQ youths' hope. A web sampling of LGBTQ youth aged 12–25 (N = 198) was used, and participants answered a self-report questionnaire to assess their hope, mentor support, risk factors (i.e., internalized homophobia, anti-LGBTQ harassment, level of outness, gender identity and sexual orientation) and personal characteristics. Findings showed that the support of mentors, particularly mentors as autonomy promoters, contributed significantly to LGBTQ youths' hope. Results also revealed that transgender youth had lower levels of hope than did LGBQ cisgender youth. The mediation analysis revealed that the support of mentors mediated the link between risk factors (e.g., antigay harassment, internalized homophobia) and higher levels of hope. The discussion suggests considering both risk and protective factors as an integral part of LGBTQ youth intervention programs in the contexts of their lives (e.g., school). Also discussed are the possible explanations for the contribution of natural mentoring and the mechanism involved in risk and protective factors. Implications for practice emphasize the importance of increasing LGBTQ youths' hope via their social ties with mentors in their environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Social support from professionals promotes resilience in LGBTQ+ youth in care. • Professionals can create affirming environments that mitigate stigma for LGBTQ+ youth in care. • Availability, trust, and honesty are key characteristics of supportive relationships among professionals. • Youth need LGBTQ+ specific support including recognition, affirmation, and companionship. LGBTQ+ youth strengthen their resilience resources through the development of meaningful relationships that provide them with unique tools to combat the stress derived from experiences of discrimination and violence targeting their marginalized identities. However, more research is needed to understand how this group benefits from the social support provided by child welfare professionals and how these relational processes may strengthen their resilience, since these professionals are often the only adult models of relationship, even after leaving care. The focus of this study was to understand youths' processes of resilience-development through relationships with care professionals in the child welfare system. In this study, we held 15 narrative interviews with LGBTQ+ youth between the ages of 14 and 21 years that were living in residential care in Spain. We carried out a reflexive thematic analysis. The results show that LGBTQ+ youth in care experience feelings of safety through supportive relationships with professionals that are enhanced by availability, trust, and honesty. Safe spaces in care are facilitated by professionals who normalize LGBTQ+ issues and make LGBTQ+ youth feel they can be themselves in their residential homes. Functions of social support such as personal attachment, belonging, and acceptance were evident in the youths' experiences. Young people expressed gratitude for professionals who provided identity support and who encouraged youths to authentically express themselves fully. Professionals who scaffold agency in youths' identity development process, as well as emotional and practical support, promoted resilience. This knowledge is a building block to advance our understanding of how social support for LGBTQ+ youth in child welfare systems can counteract the negative impacts of non-affirming families and institutions by augmenting resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over three million LGBTQ youth in the United States could benefit from access to youth mentoring programs. Research shows that LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, which may be due, in part, to selective enforcement of criminal laws against them.They also experience higher rates of family rejection, school harassment and bullying, homelessness, and a host of other factors related to their identity that put them at increased risk of involvement with the system. Youth mentoring organizations are designed to address the challenges at-risk youth face in their daily lives, but there is evidence showing that some organizations are unwelcoming of LGBTQ youth, and discriminate against them when they try to seek services.

Background: Many LGBTQ youth experience rejection and discrimination in their families and schools, and the range of interventions for improving their resilience and well-being is limited. We developed and piloted an LGBTQ-youth-focused intervention to build resilience and promote health equity, called Pride Camp, in an urban environment in the Midwest. Methods: Using a mixed-method approach we examined the impact of Pride Camp on resilience and other measures of well-being among LGBTQ high school students who attended camp on a college campus in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Camp attendees and the research sample included a majority proportion of transgender and gender nonbinary (TGN) youth. Results: Pre- and post-test data from our quantitative surveys (n = 28), indicated significant increases in resilience, self-esteem, and quality of life in LGBTQ youth who attended camp. Similar results were found among the TGN participants (n = 19). Qualitative data from focus groups indicated that specifically for TGN youth, the affirming environment at the camp provided social opportunities that they had not found elsewhere. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the Pride Camp intervention provides a platform for LGBTQ youth to meet peers and engage in LGBTQ communities, improving their resilience and outlook on the future. A larger controlled study of the Pride Camp intervention including measurement of additional specific health outcomes over a longer follow-up period is warranted to examine the impact of this program on health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous scholarship on queer youth in small town and rural educational contexts has primarily documented educators' perspectives and experiences of youth victimization. Drawing from a broader, interview-based teacher inquiry project, I extend this research by considering a queer youth's voice and agency. Using queer theorizations of time and space, I examine the telling case of Sylvia, a queer young woman in a semi-rural, small Midwestern US town. Through her participation in the educational context of an interdenominational Christian youth group, she experienced pedagogical encounters that helped her challenge and reconfigure normative constructions of time, space, and queerness, which facilitated movement toward greater healthiness and happiness, even as she reproduced racial and class normativities through a politics of respectability. Sylvia's experiences suggest the need to attend to heterogeneity and agency in working with queer rural youth and the importance of considering constructions of time, space, and queerness in queer-inclusive curricular texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]