Early antecedents of academic and psychosocial outcomes for students identifying as LGBQ

Peer and parental relationships across childhood and adolescence have an important role in later psychosocial adjustment for all youth. For youth who experience subjectively more minority stress or more encounters with peer victimization, such as youth who identify as LGBQ, these relationships may have a particularly important protective role against psychosocial problems in later adolescence. In this study, we explore these relationships with a particular lens for students identifying as LGBQ. Using a matched sample of 82 students, half of whom identify as LGBQ at age 15, we examined the relationships between this identity and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., mental health, academic skills, and peer victimization). We also investigated the role that changes in the quality of peer and parental relationships from age 11 to 15 have in psychosocial outcomes, especially for students identifying as LGBQ. The findings suggest that, consistent with previous research, LGBQ identity is associated with worse mental health outcomes compared to their peers, but similar findings were not replicated for academic skills. Like previous research, we also found that peer victimization was associated with worse mental health outcomes, though not academic skills in our sample. Additionally, higher quality parental relationships in early adolescence were associated with better mental health outcomes in later adolescence, but the finding was not replicated with regards to academic skills, nor was positive peer relationships found to be a significant protective factor. Findings from our study will inform future longitudinal studies and concerning peers’ and parents’ influence on adolescents’ mental heath and academic achievement. Potential implications for prevention work for identity-based victimization among middle and high school students are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2019

Author dc:creator

• King, Matthew T.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bub, Kristen
• Rounds, James
• Napolitano, Christopher
• Poteat, Paul

• LGBQ, academic achievement, peer relationships, parental relationships, mental health, peer victimization

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2019 Matthew King

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/105620

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/105620