The first-year university experience for sexual minority students: A grounded theory exploration

Authors

Edward Alessi, Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyFollow
Beth Sapiro, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Sarilee Kahn, McGill University
Shelley L. Craig, University of Toronto

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.