School Connectedness and Student–Teacher Relationships: A Comparison of Sexual Minority Youths and Their Peers

juwita widiasih;

Strong connections to school and positive student–teacher relationships offer numerous social, emotional, and academic benefits for youths. Unfortunately, sexual minority youths (SMY) are at risk for disparate school connectedness and student–teacher relationship experiences compared with their peers. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study compared the school connectedness and student–teacher relationship experiences of SMY and their peers. The results suggest that SMY report significantly lower perceptions of school connectedness and poorer-quality student–teacher relationships compared with their peers. The study findings offer important implications for school social
workers, including advocacy for and implementation of programs that enhance school connectedness among SMY and offering professional development for school personnel on ways to support SMY.