Gender Sexuality Alliances and School Safety: Who Benefits Most, and Do Additive School-Led Practices Strengthen the Link?

J Youth Adolesc. 2024 Jul;53(7):1499-1512. doi: 10.1007/s10964-024-01957-0. Epub 2024 Feb 28.

Abstract

While Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) are associated with higher acceptance of sexual diversity and lower bullying-victimization, it is unclear which individual and school-level attributes strengthen these associations. Nationally representative data (N = 1,567 students; Mage = 15.4, SD = 0.16; 34% boys, 66% girls, 51% heterosexual, 49% sexually-diverse after propensity score matching) in 139 Dutch secondary schools were used. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that GSA presence was linked to more inclusive attitudes about sexual diversity and a safer disclosure climate among sexually-diverse students, and lower general bullying-victimization when the school had a GSA combined with school practices to tackle bullying. School professionals and researchers are recommended to recognize the significance of individual and school-level factors that affect GSA correlates.

Keywords: Gender and sexuality alliances; School safety; Sexual and gender diversity.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology
  • Bullying* / prevention & control
  • Bullying* / psychology
  • Bullying* / statistics & numerical data
  • Crime Victims / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Netherlands
  • Safety
  • Schools*
  • Sexual and Gender Minorities / psychology
  • Sexual and Gender Minorities / statistics & numerical data
  • Students* / psychology
  • Students* / statistics & numerical data