Promoting Affirming School Athletics for LGBTQ Youth Through Professional Development

ABSTRACT

While physical activity provides ample social-emotional, behavioral, and academic benefits, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth experience bullying, discomfort, and feelings of exclusion in school athletic settings. Authors conceptualize a professional development model entitled School Athletics for Everyone (SAFE). Within this model, physical education teachers are supported in gaining a more comprehensive understanding about the struggles experienced by LGBTQ youth in athletic settings and, subsequently, the ways in which they can be supported through data-based consultative and professional development efforts to promote more affirming and inclusive practices. The role of the school mental health professional is crucial in facilitating content delivery and consultation. Authors review the empirical foundations for this model, provide a case example, and disseminate relevant resources for practitioners. Future directions for research are also discussed.

Notes

1. : The authors report that to the best of their knowledge neither they nor their affiliated institutions have financial or personal relationships or affiliations that could influence or bias the opinions, decisions, or work presented in this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott B. Greenspan

Scott Greenspan, M.S., is a Doctoral Candidate in the School Psychology program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research and clinical interests include school-wide wellness promotion with an emphasis on mental health and physical activity, school-based supports for LGBTQ youth, and public health approaches to school-based assessment and intervention.

Sara Whitcomb

Sara Whitcomb, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and training director of the School Psychology program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She teaches courses pertaining to behavioral assessment and consultation. Her research interests are related to school-wide prevention efforts focused on mental health, wellness, and positive behavioral supports.

Catherine Griffith

Catherine Griffith, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the School Counselor Education program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and is the Associate Director for the Ronald H. Fredrickson Center for School Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation (CSCORE). Her primary interests include the development of affirming interventions with LGBTQ youth and the overall contribution of intervention research in school-based settings. Currently, she serves on the review board for the flagship journal Professional School Counseling (PSC), and is a member of the Research Committee for the Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC).