Poster Session #2: UC South Ballroom
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Bryan Cochran
Abstract / Artist's Statement
People belonging to a sexual or gender minority are more likely to experience significant amounts of stigma and prejudice, specifically in school settings. Often times research looks at students’ perceptions of a school climate as a whole, but does not generally address the repercussions of the specific components it is comprised of. The current study examines how teachers’ perceptions of students’ LGBTQIA+ identity correlates with their overall sense of identity. Participants were 67 LGBTQIA+ identified youth who completed a survey examining correlates among different dimensions of identity status, identity reassurance, and sense of self. Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficients were computed to assess the relationships between teachers’ perceptions and 8 LGBTQIA+ specific survey questions. Statistically significant correlations (p < .01) were found in three measures, ranging between r = -.318 and r = -.404. Statistically significant correlations (p < .05) were found in two measures, ranging between r = -.252 and r = -.285. This study narrows down the focus on the implications of school personnel’s perception of LGBTQIA+ identity and how it directly affects students and their notions of self-esteem (e.g., competence, worthiness, affect, etc.), and feeling of belonging among cohorts and faculty. These results can be used in schools to influence the implementation of anti-discrimination policies in regard to sexual and gender minority youth, as well as sensitivity/ cultural competence training among school staff.
Category
Social Sciences
The Implications of Teachers’ Perceptions of LGBTQIA+ Youth
People belonging to a sexual or gender minority are more likely to experience significant amounts of stigma and prejudice, specifically in school settings. Often times research looks at students’ perceptions of a school climate as a whole, but does not generally address the repercussions of the specific components it is comprised of. The current study examines how teachers’ perceptions of students’ LGBTQIA+ identity correlates with their overall sense of identity. Participants were 67 LGBTQIA+ identified youth who completed a survey examining correlates among different dimensions of identity status, identity reassurance, and sense of self. Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficients were computed to assess the relationships between teachers’ perceptions and 8 LGBTQIA+ specific survey questions. Statistically significant correlations (p < .01) were found in three measures, ranging between r = -.318 and r = -.404. Statistically significant correlations (p < .05) were found in two measures, ranging between r = -.252 and r = -.285. This study narrows down the focus on the implications of school personnel’s perception of LGBTQIA+ identity and how it directly affects students and their notions of self-esteem (e.g., competence, worthiness, affect, etc.), and feeling of belonging among cohorts and faculty. These results can be used in schools to influence the implementation of anti-discrimination policies in regard to sexual and gender minority youth, as well as sensitivity/ cultural competence training among school staff.