Abstract
Despite a proliferation of bullying prevention programs in recent time, limited work has investigated support-seeking behaviors in response to elevated bullying levels among sexual minority youth (SMY). To address this gap, the current study examined how harassment targeting SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), sexual identity outness, school safety, and perceptions of teacher/staff support were associated with SMY talking to an adult at school about harassment. A large contemporary national sample of SMY (N = 5538) between the ages 13–18 (Mage = 15.53, SD = 1.33) who experienced at least one form of SOGIE-based harassment in the past year was leveraged for analyses. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regressions revealed more frequent SOGIE-based harassment was associated with greater odds of reporting harassment to school personnel, particularly among SMY who felt safe at school. Findings highlight the need for school-based interventions to foster school safety among SMY who experience peer harassment to promote their reporting of this behavior.
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Acknowledgements
This research uses data from the 2022 National LGBTQ Teen Study, designed by Ryan J. Watson in collaboration with the Human Rights Campaign, and supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01MD015722-01S1 (PI: Eisenberg).
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This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01MD015722-01S1 (PI: Eisenberg) and K01DA047918 (PI: Watson). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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P.M. drafted a substantial portion of the manuscript, conducted the formal analysis, conceptualized overall study questions, and led the author team in the development of the manuscript; L.L. assisted in conducting the analyses, drafted portions of the manuscript, and provided feedback on study questions and writing process; N.B. and N.S. drafted portions of the manuscript and provided feedback throughout the writing process; L.E. helped frame the overall structure of the manuscript, edited portions of the manuscript, and provided feedback on the writing process; R.W. conceptualized overall study data collection, provided feedback on the overall framing of the study and edited a substantial portion of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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McCauley, P.S., Lessard, L.M., Babcock, N. et al. Sexual Minority Youth Reporting SOGIE-Based Harassment to Adults at School: The Roles of Experienced Harassment, Outness, Safety, and Adult Support at School. J. Youth Adolescence 53, 669–684 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-023-01914-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-023-01914-3