Protective Factors in education
for Gender and sexual minority
1.
definitions
Gender -
Cultural
Sex -
Biological
Gender Orientation
-
Individual’s
identity
Individual
(Butler, O’Donovan & Shaw, 2010)
Gender Orientation
Sexual Orientation
❖
Sexual and emotional attachment based on their
gender
Homosexual
❖
Attracted to the
same gender
Heterosexual
❖
Attracted to the
opposite gender
2.
Risk factors
Negative factors that increase the likelihood
of negative life events.
These disproportionately affect
the GSM youth community
Risk factors
✖
Victimization
(Williams, Connolly, Pepler, & Craig, 2005)✖
Family Rejection
(Diamond G.M, Diamond G.S, Levy, Closs, Ladipo, & Siqueland, 2013)✖
Depression
(Hall, 2018)✖
Suicide Ideation
(Peter & Taylor, 2014)3.
Protective factors
Positive factors that lower the likelihood of negative life
events in the GSM youth community
Individual - Therapy practices
CBT
Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy
❖
Affirmative
Theory
❖
Education on
oppression
❖
Identifying
Stressors
ASSET
Affirmative
Supportive Safe and
Empowering Talk
❖
Self Esteem
❖
Social
Connectedness
❖
Proactive coping
ABFT
Attachment Based
Family Therapy
❖
Sexual
Minorities
❖
Working with
both parents
and children to
reduce family
rejection
(Austin & Craig, 2015)
(Craig, Austin & McInroy, 2014)
Education
Programs
❖
School support
groups
❖
Report reduced
➢
Victimization
➢
Suicide
attempts
❖
Increased
perceived safety
Safety/School
Climate
❖
Urban low
income schools
more safe for
GSM youth
❖
Supportive school
climate
➢
Reduced
victimization
and
depression
Social Relationships
❖
Positive
instructor
relationships
❖
Romantic
relationships
➢
Black sexual
minorities
➢
Not bisexual
youth
(Espelage, Valido, Hatchel, Ingram, Huang, & Torgal, 2019)
(Goodenow, Szalacha, & Westheimer, 2006)
(Woodford & Kulick, 2015)
4.
Impact of teacher training
Teacher training
in GSM topics
Increased safety
and well being
for GSM students
GSM inclusivity
in curriculum
and policy
(Meadows, 2018) (Taylor, Meyer, Peter,
Ristock, Short, & Campbell, 2016)
Conclusion
❖
Need more research on protective factors
❖
Research on therapy practices targeting needs of group
❖
More efforts towards safety for GSM youth
❖
More teacher training on LGBTQ issues
➢
Enables more comfort for teaching inclusivity practices
❖
More training for medical professionals (nurses)
➢
Very few medical institutions offer courses on GSM health
topics
❖
Building self esteem helps GSM youth engage in safer sexual
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