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GSA Advocacy Predicts Reduced Depression Disparities Between LGBQ+ and Heterosexual Youth in Schools.

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Title: GSA Advocacy Predicts Reduced Depression Disparities Between LGBQ+ and Heterosexual Youth in Schools.
Authors: Poteat, V. Paul (AUTHOR), Yoshikawa, Hirokazu (AUTHOR), Rosenbach, Sarah B. (AUTHOR), Sherwood, S. Henry (AUTHOR), Finch, Emily K. (AUTHOR), Calzo, Jerel P. (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. Jul/Aug2025, Vol. 54 Issue 4, p501-513. 13p.
Subjects: LGBTQ+ youth, Consciousness raising, Sexual orientation, School year, Mental depression, Homophobia
Abstract: Objective: Depression disparities between heterosexual youth and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and other non-heterosexual (LGBQ+) youth are robust and linked to discrimination in schools. Advocacy by school-based Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) to raise awareness of LGBQ+ issues and to counteract discrimination may reduce these disparities within schools, yet has not been investigated schoolwide. We considered whether GSA advocacy over the school year moderated sexual orientation differences in depressive symptoms at the school year's end for students in the general school population (i.e., students who were not members of the GSA). Method: Participants were 1,362 students (Mage = 15.68; 89% heterosexual; 52.6% female; 72.2% White) in 23 Massachusetts secondary schools with GSAs. Participants reported depressive symptoms at the beginning and end of the school year. Separately, GSA members and advisors reported their GSA's advocacy activities during the school year and other GSA characteristics. Results: LGBQ+ youth reported higher depressive symptoms than heterosexual youth at the school year's beginning. However, after adjusting for initial depressive symptoms and multiple covariates, sexual orientation was a weaker predictor of depressive symptoms at the school year's end for youth in schools whose GSAs engaged in more advocacy. Depression disparities were significant in schools whose GSAs reported lower advocacy, but were statistically non-significant in schools whose GSAs reported higher advocacy. Conclusion: Advocacy could be a means by which GSAs achieve school-wide impacts, benefiting LGBQ+ youth who are not GSA members. GSAs may therefore be a key resource for addressing the mental health needs of LGBQ+ youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Label: Title
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  Data: GSA Advocacy Predicts Reduced Depression Disparities Between LGBQ+ and Heterosexual Youth in Schools.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Poteat%2C+V%2E+Paul%22">Poteat, V. Paul</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yoshikawa%2C+Hirokazu%22">Yoshikawa, Hirokazu</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rosenbach%2C+Sarah+B%2E%22">Rosenbach, Sarah B.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sherwood%2C+S%2E+Henry%22">Sherwood, S. Henry</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Finch%2C+Emily+K%2E%22">Finch, Emily K.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Calzo%2C+Jerel+P%2E%22">Calzo, Jerel P.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Clinical+Child+%26+Adolescent+Psychology%22">Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology</searchLink>. Jul/Aug2025, Vol. 54 Issue 4, p501-513. 13p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22LGBTQ%2B+youth%22">LGBTQ+ youth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Consciousness+raising%22">Consciousness raising</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+orientation%22">Sexual orientation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+year%22">School year</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+depression%22">Mental depression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Homophobia%22">Homophobia</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Objective: Depression disparities between heterosexual youth and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and other non-heterosexual (LGBQ+) youth are robust and linked to discrimination in schools. Advocacy by school-based Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) to raise awareness of LGBQ+ issues and to counteract discrimination may reduce these disparities within schools, yet has not been investigated schoolwide. We considered whether GSA advocacy over the school year moderated sexual orientation differences in depressive symptoms at the school year's end for students in the general school population (i.e., students who were not members of the GSA). Method: Participants were 1,362 students (Mage = 15.68; 89% heterosexual; 52.6% female; 72.2% White) in 23 Massachusetts secondary schools with GSAs. Participants reported depressive symptoms at the beginning and end of the school year. Separately, GSA members and advisors reported their GSA's advocacy activities during the school year and other GSA characteristics. Results: LGBQ+ youth reported higher depressive symptoms than heterosexual youth at the school year's beginning. However, after adjusting for initial depressive symptoms and multiple covariates, sexual orientation was a weaker predictor of depressive symptoms at the school year's end for youth in schools whose GSAs engaged in more advocacy. Depression disparities were significant in schools whose GSAs reported lower advocacy, but were statistically non-significant in schools whose GSAs reported higher advocacy. Conclusion: Advocacy could be a means by which GSAs achieve school-wide impacts, benefiting LGBQ+ youth who are not GSA members. GSAs may therefore be a key resource for addressing the mental health needs of LGBQ+ youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1080/15374416.2023.2169924
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 13
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      – SubjectFull: LGBTQ+ youth
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Consciousness raising
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      – SubjectFull: Sexual orientation
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      – SubjectFull: School year
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      – SubjectFull: Mental depression
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      – SubjectFull: Homophobia
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: GSA Advocacy Predicts Reduced Depression Disparities Between LGBQ+ and Heterosexual Youth in Schools.
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            NameFull: Poteat, V. Paul
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              Text: Jul/Aug2025
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