Michael R. Woodford

That's so Gay! Examining the Covariates of Hearing this Expression among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual College Students

Abstract Objective: The investigators examined the health and well-being correlates of hearing the popular phrase “thats so gay” among gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) emerging adults. Participants: Participants were 114 self-identified GLB students aged 18 to 25 years. Methods: An online survey was distributed to students at a large public university in the Midwest during winter 2009. Results: Participants’ social and physical well-being was negatively associated with hearing this phrase, specifically feeling isolated and experiencing physical health symptoms (ie, headaches, poor appetite, or eating problems). Conclusions: College professionals and student leaders must acknowledge that the phrase is a form of heterosexist harassment. As such, policies addressing diversity and harassment should address students’ use of this phrase, aiming to reduce its use. Additionally, colleges and universities should develop practices that counteract poorer well-being associated with hearing the phrase.

Qualitative Research With Small Connected Communities: Generating New Knowledge While Upholding Research Ethics

Qualitative researchers have a dual mission: to generate knowledge through rigorous research and to uphold ethical standards and principles. Qualitative researchers often conduct studies with small connected communities in which relationships exist among community members. When engaging such communities, researchers might face ethical issues in upholding confidentiality standards while they work to achieve their dual mandate. Qualitative scholars have paid little attention to the ethical challenges that might arise in this context. Drawing on our experiences conducting studies with such communities, we expand the dialogue concerning qualitative research ethics by making explicit conceptual and practical tensions that emerge at various stages of the research process; articulating our respective reflective processes; and exploring issues associated with strategies for upholding confidentiality. We conclude with lessons learned to guide researchers who might face similar challenges.

“That’s so Gay” Heterosexual Male Undergraduates and the Perpetuation of Sexual Orientation Microagressions on Campus

“That’s so gay,” a popular expression on campuses, is a sexual orientation microaggression that can contribute to a hostile environment for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students. Using data from a campus climate survey conducted at a large urban university, we investigated use of the phrase among heterosexual male undergraduates who are emerging adults (18–25 years). Multiple regression analysis suggested that saying the phrase is positively associated with hearing peers say it and with holding negative perceptions of feminine men, whereas having LGB acquaintances was negatively associated with use of this expression. We offer practice and policy recommendations for curbing its use, thereby enhancing campus climate.

SUPPORT OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY CONTENT IN SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION: RESULTS FROM NATIONAL SURVEYS OF U.S. AND ANGLOPHONE CANADIAN FACULTY

This article presents findings from the first national surveys of United States and English- speaking Canadian MSW social work faculty examining their support of curriculum content on sexual orientation and gender identity. Faculty in either country are generally supportive of including LGBT content but report significantly more support for content on LGBT populations as compared to the types of oppression experienced. Significant predictors of support for LGBT content include being female, younger, non-White/non-European, having positive LGBT social attitudes, and the availability of resources on transgenderrelated issues. The findings suggest that faculty development should address the social attitudes among faculty as well as integrate gender identity into diversity discourse in social work education.

Discrimination and Mental Health Among Sexual Minority College Students: The Type and Form of Discrimination Does Matter

Research indicates that interpersonal discrimination contributes to mental problems among sexual minorities. However, little attention has been given to subtle discrimination and witnessing discrimination. This study examines the relationship among sexual orientation, experiencing and witnessing hostility (e.g., verbal threats), incivility (e.g., dirty looks), heterosexist harassment (e.g., homophobic names), and moderate/high anxiety and depression symptoms among college students. Results indicated that experiencing hostility, incivility, and heterosexist harassment each partially mediated the relationship between sexual minority status and anxiety. Similar relationships were found for experiencing incivility and heterosexist harassment and depression. Witnessing hostility and heterosexist harassment partially mediated anxiety among sexual minority students.

Alcohol and drug use among sexual minority college students and their heterosexual counterparts: the effects of experiencing and witnessing incivility and hostility on campus

Purpose Research suggests that discrimination contributes to increased substance use among sexual minorities. Subtle discrimination and witnessing mistreatment, however, have received little attention. Using minority stress theory as a conceptual framework the authors examined the intersection of sexual orientation, experiencing and witnessing incivility and hostility, and students’ alcohol and drug use. The authors hypothesized that experiencing/witnessing incivility/hostility would mediate the relationship between sexual minority status and drinking and drug use, as well as problematic use of these substances. Methods Data were taken from a campus climate survey (n = 2497; age mean [M] = 23.19 years; 61% female; 17% sexual minorities). Controlling for demographics, logistic regressions depicted specifications for each path of the mediation analysis and bootstrapping was used to assess the significance of each sexual minority-mistreatment-drinking/drug use path. Results Experiencing incivility mediated the relationship between sexual minority status and problematic drinking. Sexual minority college students were more likely to personally experience incivility (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.51–2.33), which was associated with greater odds of problematic drinking (AOR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.35–2.00). The mediation path was significant at P < 0.001. Further, witnessing hostility mediated the relationship between sexual minority status and problematic drinking. Sexual minority college students were more likely to witness hostility (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.48–2.36), which was associated with greater odds of problematic drinking (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.24–1.90). The mediation path was significant at P < 0.01. Conclusion The results provide further evidence for minority stress theory and suggest that clinical alcohol use interventions with sexual minorities need to assess personal incivilities and witnessing interpersonal mistreatment, especially hostility. Campus climate interventions that address subtle discrimination as well as harassment and violence may help reduce problematic drinking.

Contemporary heterosexism on campus and psychological distress among LGBQ students: the mediating role of self-acceptance.

Contemporary heterosexism includes both overt and subtle discrimination. Minority stress theory posits that heterosexism puts sexual minorities at risk for psychological distress and other negative outcomes. Research, however, tends to focus only on 1 form at a time, with minimal attention being given to subtle heterosexism. Further, little is known about the connection between minority stressors and underlying psychological mechanisms that might shape mental health outcomes. Among a convenience sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) college students (n = 299), we investigated the role of blatant victimization and LGBQ microaggressions, both together and separately, on psychological distress and the mediating role of self-acceptance. We conducted structural equation modeling to examine hypothesized relationships. Heterosexism was measured as blatant victimization, interpersonal microaggressions, and environmental microaggressions. Self-acceptance included self-esteem and internalized LGBTQ pride. Anxiety and perceived stress comprised the psychological distress factor. Our results suggest that students with greater atypical gender expression experience, greater overall heterosexism and victimization, and younger students experience more overall heterosexism, and undergraduates report more victimization. Microaggressions, particularly environmental microaggressions, are more influential on overall heterosexism than blatant victimization. Overall heterosexism and microaggressions demonstrated main effects with self-acceptance and distress, whereas victimization did not. Self-acceptance mediated the path from discrimination to distress for both overall heterosexism and microaggressions. Our findings advance minority stress theory research by providing a nuanced understanding of the nature of contemporary discrimination and its consequences, as well as illuminating the important role self-acceptance plays as a mediator in the discrimination-psychological distress relationship.

Predictors of Heterosexual College Students' Attitudes Toward LGBT People

This study identifies the predictors of U.S. heterosexual undergraduate and graduate college students’ attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a group rather than toward individual identities. Findings suggest that affirming LGBT attitudes are most strongly associated with liberal political ideology and whether one believes in biological causation of transgender identity. Understanding sexual orientation as biological and having LGB friends, LGB immediate family members, and transgender friends are also important, but to a lesser degree. Age, gender, and select races/ethnicities and select religious affiliations are marginally associated with LGBT attitudes. These findings clarify areas to target for improvement in campus climate for LGBT persons, and implications for campus programs and research are discussed.

“Speaking the Dialect”: Understanding Public Discourse in the Aftermath of an HIV Vaccine Trial Shutdown

OBJECTIVES We investigated how persons from key populations at higher risk of HIV exposure interpreted the process and outcomes of the Step Study HIV-1 vaccine trial, which was terminated early, and implications for willingness to participate in and community support for HIV vaccine research. METHODS We used qualitative methods and a community-based approach in 9 focus groups (n = 72) among ethnically and sexually diverse populations and 6 semistructured key informant interviews in Ontario, Canada, in 2007 to 2008. RESULTS Participants construed social meaning from complex clinical and biomedical phenomena. Social representations and mental models emerged in fears of vaccine-induced infection, conceptualizations of unfair recruitment practices and increased risk behaviors among trial participants, and questioning of informed consent. Narratives of altruism and the common good demonstrated support for future trials. CONCLUSIONS Public discourse on HIV vaccine trials is a productive means of interpreting complex clinical trial processes and outcomes in the context of existing beliefs and experiences regarding HIV vaccines, medical research, and historical disenfranchisement. Strategic engagement with social representations and mental models may promote meaningful community involvement in biomedical HIV prevention research.

Attitudes Toward Gay Men and Lesbian Women Among Heterosexual Social Work Faculty

This study reports results from a national Internet-based survey administered anonymously to a cross-section of social work faculty in the United States. Drawn from a sampling frame of 700 accredited or in candidacy schools, data were collected between November 2010 and March 2011. We investigate the role of sex, sexual orientation, race, religious affiliation and beliefs, religiosity, political ideology, sexism, and interest in sexuality/LGBTQ issues. Race, religiosity, political ideology, and sexism are associated with sexual prejudice, which was endorsed among a small percentage (14%) of the sample (n = 303). Outcome scores were not statistically different based on the targets’ sex. Strategies are recommended to reduce sexual prejudice among social work faculty and to increase institutional support for acceptance in the academy.