Preparing School Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers to Support LGBT Students: The Role of Preservice Education and Training

• In Event: The In/Exclusion of LGBT Issues in Preservice Education

Abstract

School helping professionals (SHPs)—counselors, psychologists, and social workers—are an essential resource for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. LGBT youth commonly experience multiple stressors in schools that negatively affect their educational experiences and psychosocial health (e.g., Kosciw et. al.,2012). Research highlights the important role that supportive adults in school play for LGBT youth; the presence of supportive educators in general has been associated to better academic and psychological outcomes for LGBT students (Goodenow, Szalacha, & Westheimer, 2006; Kosciw et. al., 2012). However, research has not sufficiently explored the professional development and practicum experiences of SHPs as it pertains to working with LGBT students in schools.
The current study examines how SHPs’ pre-service education may predict their LGBT-related self-efficacy and practice. It was hypothesized that not only exposure to LGBT-related content in graduate training would predict SHP’s self-efficacy and practice, but also the quality of their LGBT-related pre-service education would be predictive as well. It was expected that LGBT-related pre-service content and quality would predict self-efficacy and practice above and beyond any relevant in-service training or ongoing professional development they have received. The hypotheses were tested with OLS hierarchical regression using data from the Supporting Safe and Healthy Schools study, a national survey of secondary school counselors, psychologists, and social workers (N=1,376) conducted by GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), which examines issues related to LGBT-related competencies and practice in schools. Two dependent variables were examined: 1. LGBT-related self-efficacy, i.e., respondents’ confidence in working on LGBT-related issues in their schools; and 2. LGBT-related practice, i.e., individual counseling, bullying interventions with or about LGBT students. For each dependent variable, individual and professional characteristics (gender, sexual orientation, knowing LGBT people and professional affiliation) were entered in the first step of the equation as controls. Having had any prior in-service training on LGBT issues was entered in the second step to control for post-graduate learning on these issues. The degree to which LGBT-related content was present in graduate training was entered in the third step, and the quality of pre-service preparation in the fourth step.
Results indicated that having received in-service training was a significant predictor of higher self-efficacy and greater practice on LGBT issues. Of note, pre-service course content was also a significant predictor of higher self-efficacy and greater practice above and beyond any in-service training. However, the strength of the contribution of the pre-service course content was diminished when accounting for respondents’ ratings of the overall quality of their pre-service education on LGBT issues.
This study has important implications for pre-service preparation of SHPs to work with LGBT students, as graduate programs may not be sufficiently preparing trainees to feel confident in their work with these youth. Additionally, researchers may need to focus attention not only on the quantity of LGBT-related content educators receive in their pre-service programs, but also the quality of that content in developing their LGBT-related competencies.

Authors

• Ryan M. Kull, GLSEN

• Joseph G. Kosciw, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network