Who, What, Where, When, and Why: Demographic and Ecological Factors Contributing to Hostile School Climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth

• Published in: Journal of youth and adolescence 2009-08, Vol.38 (7), p.976-988
• Main Authors: Kosciw, Joseph G, Greytak, Emily A, Diaz, Elizabeth M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Access to education; Achievement; Adolescent; Age differences; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Bisexuality - psychology; Bisexuality - statistics & numerical data; Child and School Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Community; Data collection; Demography; Ecological Factors; Educational Attainment; Educational Environment; Educational Experience; Empirical Research; Environmental Influences; Female; Gays & lesbians; Gender identity; Gender Issues; Geographic Location; Health Psychology; High School Students; History of Psychology; Homophobia; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Female - psychology; Homosexuality, Female - statistics & numerical data; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Homosexuality, Male - statistics & numerical data; Hostility; Humans; Influences; Law and Psychology; Male; Middle school students; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority students; Psychology; R&D; Race; Research & development; Rural Areas; Rural Urban Differences; School District Size; School Districts; School Environment; School Personnel; School safety; Secondary School Students; Secondary schools; Sexual harassment; Sexual Harassment - psychology; Sexual Harassment - statistics & numerical data; Sexual Identity; Sexual Orientation; Sexual Preferences; Social Attitudes; Social Bias; Social Environment; Socioeconomic Factors; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Suicides & suicide attempts; Support personnel; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teacher Student Ratio; Transgender persons; Transsexualism - epidemiology; Transsexualism - psychology; Urban schools; Verbal Communication; Victimization; Victims of Crime; Young Adult; Youth
• ISSN: 0047-2891; 1573-6601
• DOI: 10.1007/s10964-009-9412-1

This study examines how locational (region and locale), community-level (school district poverty and adult educational attainment), and school district-level (district size and ratios of students to key school personnel) variables are related to indicators of hostile school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. Indicators of hostile climate included frequency of homophobic remarks and victimization regarding sexual orientation and gender expression. We used data from a national survey of LGBT secondary school students (N = 5,420; 57.6% female; 65.5% White; mean age = 15.9). Results from regression analyses demonstrated that LGBT youth in rural communities and communities with lower adult educational attainment may face particularly hostile school climates. School district characteristics contributed little to the variation in LGBT youth's experiences. Findings highlight the importance of considering the multiple contexts that LGBT youth inhabit, particularly as they pertain to educational experiences.