Fostering LGBTQ Advocacy in School Psychology as Adult Education: Shaping Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceived Control

Open Access
- Author:
- Betts, Elana Cherice
- Graduate Program:
- Adult Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Education
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- October 02, 2013
- Committee Members:
- Elizabeth Jean Tisdell, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Robin Redmon Wright, Committee Member
Thomas Bettinger, Committee Member
Holly L Angelique, Committee Member
Kyle Leonard Peck, Committee Member - Keywords:
- critical theory
Theory of Planned Behavior
adult education
LGBTQ
school psychology
affirmative practice
multicultural ed - Abstract:
- School psychologists are adult learners. They support children and youth within the K-12 system who are facing academic, emotional, behavioral, or systematic barriers to education. Among the most vulnerable are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, and school psychologists need to learn to be LGBTQ competent. The purpose of this mixed method research study was twofold: a) to examine the level of LGBTQ competency and LGBTQ social advocacy work of practicing school psychologists; and b) to explore how active social justice advocates for LGBTQ K-12 students perceive they acquired their skills, knowledge and expertise. The theoretical framework of the study was grounded in both critical perspectives of adult education, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. It is also informed by aspects of queer theory and gay affirmative practice. An LGBTQ Affirmative Practice and Intent Scale was developed based on the Gay Affirmative Practice Scale (Crisp, 2006) and an application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991). Two hundred eleven school psychologists, school psychology educators, and retired school psychologists completed the survey. The survey results indicate the respondents overall had affirming beliefs, however there was a wide range in actual LGBTQ advocacy work. The quantitative data also revealed significant differences in scores relative to sexual orientation and current religious/spiritual affiliations. Of those respondents, volunteers were solicited to participate in an in-depth interview, whose survey scores were within the top 15th percentile. The qualitative findings indicate personal characteristics, such as experience as an educator, having LGBTQ friends, or the influence of religion or spirituality may shape attitudes toward LGBTQ social justice advocacy. The findings also indicate the context, such as environmental barriers, job diversity, and cognizance of marginalization may shape normative beliefs. Lastly, the current findings indicate strategies of advocacy, such as taking action, drawing on LGBTQ resources and continuing to seek out LGBTQ knowledge to close information gaps can shape perceived behavioral control. As a result of the research, the Theory of Planned Behavior, critical perspectives of adult education and LGBTQ affirmative practice are merged to create a proposed integrated model for fostering LGBTQ social justice advocacy in school psychologists.