ERIC Number: EJ1456251
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1096-2409
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
School Counselors' Reflections on Supporting LGBTQ+ Students
Jessie D. Guest; Thomas M. Toomey; Palmer Garrison; Ryan Buell
Professional School Counseling, v28 n1 2024
Background: Suicide attempts and suicide completion are on the rise for children and adolescents and even more so for LGBTQ+ youth. Despite some social progress, LGBTQ+ individuals still face oppression socially and legally. With much of the restrictive LGBTQ+ legislation occurring within educational settings, school counselors have an important role supporting the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth; however, many school counselors do not feel equipped to do so. Objectives: School counselors often exit their graduate programs and enter the profession with little to no knowledge of or experience working with LGBTQ+ students. The current study sought to better understand school counselors' experiences supporting LGBTQ+ youth in their school by discussing results of two focus groups with school counselors working with LGBTQ+ students in a southeastern school district. Research Question: What are the experiences of elementary, middle, and high school counselors supporting LGBTQ+ students in a southeastern school district? Methods: Using thematic analysis of two focus group interviews, we gained greater insight into school counselors' experiences of supporting LGBTQ+ students in their schools. Results: Through the thematic analysis, five themes and two subthemes emerged in the data. Conclusions: Although school counselors often lack time or resources to work with LGBTQ+ youth (Gonzalez, 2016), the current study's findings reveal additional barriers given less attention in the literature: navigating tension and pressure from legal policies and nonaffirming parents.
Descriptors: School Counselors, Reflection, Counselor Attitudes, Academic Support Services, LGBTQ People, Elementary Secondary Education, Counseling Effectiveness, Cultural Awareness, Consciousness Raising, Family School Relationship, Public Policy, Ethics, Barriers
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A