TY - JOUR
T1 - Gay-Straight Alliance involvement and youths’ participation in civic engagement, advocacy, and awareness-raising
AU - Poteat, V. Paul
AU - Calzo, Jerel P.
AU - Yoshikawa, Hirokazu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2018/5
Y1 - 2018/5
N2 - Civic engagement among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and heterosexual cisgender allies can challenge oppressive systems. Among 295 youth in 33 Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs; 69% LGBQ, 68% cisgender female, 68% white, Mage = 16.07), we examined whether greater GSA involvement was associated with greater general civic engagement, as well as participation in greater LGBTQ-specific advocacy and awareness-raising efforts. Further, we tested whether these associations were partly mediated through members’ sense of agency. Greater GSA involvement was associated with greater civic engagement, advocacy, and awareness-raising; associations did not differ based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Finally, the association between GSA involvement and civic engagement was partially mediated through youths’ greater sense of agency. Agency did not mediate the association between GSA involvement and engagement in advocacy or awareness-raising efforts. The results suggest GSAs are settings with potential to foster students’ capacity to be active and engaged citizens.
AB - Civic engagement among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and heterosexual cisgender allies can challenge oppressive systems. Among 295 youth in 33 Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs; 69% LGBQ, 68% cisgender female, 68% white, Mage = 16.07), we examined whether greater GSA involvement was associated with greater general civic engagement, as well as participation in greater LGBTQ-specific advocacy and awareness-raising efforts. Further, we tested whether these associations were partly mediated through members’ sense of agency. Greater GSA involvement was associated with greater civic engagement, advocacy, and awareness-raising; associations did not differ based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Finally, the association between GSA involvement and civic engagement was partially mediated through youths’ greater sense of agency. Agency did not mediate the association between GSA involvement and engagement in advocacy or awareness-raising efforts. The results suggest GSAs are settings with potential to foster students’ capacity to be active and engaged citizens.
KW - Agency
KW - Civic engagement
KW - Gay-Straight Alliance
KW - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning youth
KW - Positive youth development
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U2 - 10.1016/j.appdev.2018.01.001
DO - 10.1016/j.appdev.2018.01.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85041656586
SN - 0193-3973
VL - 56
SP - 13
EP - 20
JO - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
ER -