The resolution on gender and sexual orientation diversity in children and adolescents in schools: An illustration of psychology’s commitment to all students.

Abstract

The American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recently adopted the Resolution on Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity in Children and Adolescents in Schools to address the unique needs of this student population (APA & NASP, 2015). This article provides background information about the joint APA and NASP effort, as well as an overview of issues addressed in the Resolution. Other relevant APA and NASP policy documents pertaining to sexual orientation and gender diverse youth are discussed. Initiatives intended to implement the recommendations of the APA and NASP Resolution are described. These are reviewed through a summary of activities of the APA Safe and Supportive Schools Project; the APA Division 44's Children, Youth and Families Committee; and NASP projects focusing on the needs of sexual minority and gender diverse students.

Sexual orientation trends and disparities in school bullying and violence-related experiences, 1999–2013.

“…Over the past decade a number of promising strategies and approaches to increase school safety and foster the well-being of sexual minority youth have been identified, including several discussed by articles in this volume. Lower rates of school victimization among LGBT adolescents have been found in schools with gay/straight alliances or similar clubs (Goodenow et al, 2006; Heck, Flentje, & Cochran, 2013; Kosciw et al, 2014; Saewyc, Konishi, Rose, & Homma, 2014) and in schools with LGBT-inclusive curricula (Anhalt et al, 2016; Kosciw et al, 2014). Sexual minority youth also fare better in schools with enumerated antibullying policies, that is, policies that go beyond the general prohibition of bullying to say specifically that harassment or bullying related to sexual orientation or gender expression is prohibited (Greytak, Kosciw, & Kull, 2016; Kosciw et al, 2014; Saewyc et al, 2014).…”

“…Other innovative approaches to helping sexual minority youth cope effectively with stressors are also being explored; see, for example, the GSA-based resilience training program piloted by Heck (2015) and training in the kind of mindfulness approach discussed by Toomey and Anhalt (2016). Additional recommendations for best school practice are detailed in the “Resolution on Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity in Children and Adolescents in Schools,” adopted jointly in 2015 by the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists (see Anhalt et al, 2016 for discussion). Continued research and rigorous evaluation will help to identify the specific features of school programs, practices, and policies are most effective and will help in the further development and refinement of ways to improve the school experience of sexual minority adolescents.…”