Title
The first-year university experience for sexual minority students: A grounded theory exploration
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Winter 1-13-2017
Journal / Book Title
Journal of LGBT Youth
Abstract
This exploratory study used grounded theory to understand the role of minority stress on the first-year experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning emerging adults attending a university in the Northeastern part of the United States. Twenty-one lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning sophomores participated in focus groups asking them to reflect on their first year of university. Themes suggest that participants tackle multiple challenges simultaneously: the developmental task of increased independence and stressors specific to lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning adults such as encountering stigma. Furthermore, participants manifested resilience in response to minority stress. Participants joined campus organizations, expressed pride in their identities, made use of social supports, and sought out safe opportunities to disclose. The discussion concludes with implications for practice and policy.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2016.1256013
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Alessi, Edward; Sapiro, Beth; Kahn, Sarilee; and Craig, Shelley L., "The first-year university experience for sexual minority students: A grounded theory exploration" (2017). Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 154.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/social-work-and-child-advocacy-facpubs/154
Published Citation
Alessi, Edward J., Beth Sapiro, Sarilee Kahn, and Shelley L. Craig. "The first-year university experience for sexual minority students: A grounded theory exploration." Journal of LGBT Youth 14, no. 1 (2017): 71-92.
Included in
Clinical and Medical Social Work Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons, Social Work Commons