The effects of general and homophobic victimization on adolescents' psychosocial and educational concerns: The importance of intersecting identities and parent support.

Abstract

Many adolescents experience peer victimization, which often can be homophobic. Applying the minority stress model with attention to intersecting social identities, this study tested the effects of general and homophobic victimization on several educational outcomes through suicidality and school belonging among 15,923 adolescents in Grades 7 through 12 on account of their sexual orientation and race/ethnicity. Parent support also was tested as a moderator of these effects. Homophobic victimization had different effects on suicidality across groups, indicating the importance of considering individuals' multiple social identities. However, homophobic victimization had universal negative effects on school belonging for all groups. Nearly all indirect effects of general and homophobic victimization on reported grades, truancy, and importance of graduating were significant through suicidality and school belonging across groups. Parent support was most consistent in moderating the effects of general and homophobic victimization on suicidality for heterosexual White and racial/ethnic minority youth. In nearly all cases, it did not moderate the effects of general or homophobic victimization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Furthermore, in most cases, parent support did not moderate the effects of general or homophobic victimization on school belonging. Findings underscore the need for counseling psychologists to work with parents of all youth on ways to provide support to those who experience homophobic victimization. Furthermore, they highlight the need for counseling psychologists to be involved as social justice advocates in the passage and implementation of school policies that address homophobic bullying and other forms of bias-based bullying and harassment.

Understanding and Responding to Homophobia and Bullying: Contrasting Staff and Young People’s Views within Community Settings in England

“…ethnicity, social class) are likely to impact upon experiences of homophobia and/or health and wellbeing (Fish, 2008;Phoenix, Frosh and Pattman, 2003;Poteat et al, 2011), an in-depth analysis of these factors was beyond the scope of this study. Further limitations are that participants (because the study sought to explore these very contexts)…”

Still a target: Sexual diversity and power of caring

“…In the present study, a parent and a teacher were examined separately as a caring adult to see their effects. Previous research (Poteat et al, 2011) examining only parent support did not find its significantly moderating effect on the relationship between victimization and school belonging, with the exception of sexual minority students of color.…”

“…However, limited attention has been given to whether experiences of victimization during adolescence are largely responsible for the elevated levels of social and emotional distress and health among sexual minority youth. In addition, there is a dearth of research considering the impact of victimization on school-related outcomes among sexual minority adolescents, particularly with regard to population-based samples, although a recent study in the United States (Poteat, Mereish, DiGiovanni, & Koenig, 2011) has suggested the association between experiences of victimization and self-reports of truancy and grades among sexual minority students. Extending this suggestion, the present study examined the impact of victimization on wider range of school-related outcomes, including educational aspiration and engagement.…”

Factors of risk and protection/resilience in adolescent scholar bullying. Longitudinal analysis

“…Agree Poteat et al (2011), many adolescents experience peer victimization, which often can be homophobic. Applying the minority stress model with attention to intersecting social identities, this study tested the effects of general and homophobic victimization on several educational outcomes through suicide and school belonging among 15,923 adolescents in Grades 7 through 12 on account of their sexual orientation and race/ ethnicity.…”