Paul Poteat

In this project, the researchers will develop, refine, and conduct an initial pilot study of an intervention program for LGBTQ+ students, called the Empowerment Program for Individual and Collective Health (EPIC-Health). Many LGBTQ+ students contend with unsafe learning environments and report greater school avoidance, poorer report card grades, and lower intentions to complete high school. There are few school-based interventions for LGBTQ+ youth who need tailored interventions to address t...

This project will examine associations between Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) practices and experiences and social-emotional and academic outcomes for sexual and gender minority (SGM) students. School-based extracurricular settings such as GSAs may promote a sense of school belonging, hope, positive affect, and self-worth in SGM students, which in turn may support positive academic outcomes. GSAs are now in over 37 percent of high schools across the United States, yet there is little data to in...