{"paper_id":"40d42dc5-511f-465f-b71a-07c75a1bc7fe","body_text":"LGBTQ Student Experiences in Schools From 2019–2025: A Systematic Review of Study Characteristics and Recommendations for Prevention and Intervention | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article LGBTQ Student Experiences in Schools From 2019–2025: A Systematic Review of Study Characteristics and Recommendations for Prevention and Intervention Anqi Zhang, Yi Ding, Paige Guarino, Yana Kuchirko This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8970088/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Introduction: LGBTQ students continue to experience disproportionately high rates of victimization, discrimination, and mental health concerns within school settings. Although prior scholarship has documented these disparities, less is known about how recent school psychology research has characterized these experiences and informed prevention and intervention efforts. Methods A systematic search was conducted across Google Scholar, Taylor & Francis Online, SAGE Journals, and APA PsycNet following PRISMA guidelines. Eight school psychology journals were included. Studies were eligible if they were peer-reviewed, published between 2019 and 2024 (extended through early 2025 publications identified during screening). Results Across 13 studies (total N = 219,262), research primarily examined school climate, victimization, mental health outcomes, and protective factors such as Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and inclusive policies. Transgender students were identified as facing compounded risks, particularly in contexts lacking explicit policy protections. GSAs, inclusive anti-bullying policies, peer-led interventions, and staff training emerged as consistent protective factors. However, few studies addressed implementation fidelity, longitudinal outcomes, intersectionality, bilingual supports, or digital contexts. Conclusions Recent school psychology research continues to document significant disparities in school safety and mental health outcomes for LGBTQ students while identifying school-based supports that promote belonging and resilience. Policy Implications: Findings support the development and enforcement of explicit anti-discrimination policies inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity, with particular attention to transgender-specific protections. Ongoing professional development for school personnel, structured support for GSAs, peer-led prevention programs, and expanded training for school psychologists including bilingual and culturally responsive competencies are essential. LGBTQ students school health prevention school psychology intervention Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Impact and Implications Statement This review investigates school psychology research from 2019 to 2025 has primarily focused on documenting discrimination against LGBTQ students and identifying school-based supports. The findings emphasize the need for more inclusive, community-driven approaches and highlight gaps in diversity and global representation that must be addressed to improve school climates for LGBTQ youth. Introduction LGBTQ Student Experiences in Schools From 2019–2025: A Systematic Review of Study Characteristics and Recommendations for Prevention and Intervention in School Psychology Journals LGBTQ student experiences in schools are marked by significantly higher rates of harassment, bullying, and victimization compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers (Aragon et al., 2014 ; Day et al., 2018 ; Eisenberg et al., 2019 ). According to the report by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network 2017 (Kosciw et al., 2018 ), 70.1% of LGBTQ students were verbally harassed at school due to their sexual orientation, 59.1% for their gender expression, and 53.2% for their gender. These findings are similar to the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which showed that 33.0% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual students were bullied on school property in the past year, compared to 17.1% of heterosexual students. (Hinduja & Patchin, 2020 ). These negative experiences lead to adverse mental health outcomes, such as increased rates of depression and anxiety, and hinder academic performance, making LGBTQ students more likely to miss school and less likely to pursue postsecondary education (Aragon et al., 2014 ; Black et al., 2012 ; Hawton et al., 2012 ; Murphy, 2012 ; Williams et al., 2021 ). Therefore, school-wide practices are essential in creating supportive environments for LGBTQ students. Implementing inclusive policies, LGBTQ-affirming curricula, and professional development opportunities for teachers and school staff are critical steps in this process (Abreu et al., 2016 , 2022 ). In recent years, as society’s attention to the LGBTQ community has increased, along with advocacy on social media and the further improvement of school policies, more and more teenagers are coming out. The most recent research, which was published this year, indicates that 28% of Gen Z people, or those between the ages of 18 and 25, identify as LGBTQ+. This finding aligned with a National Survey Northwestern Medicine comparative analysis of national survey results, it found that one in four U.S. adolescents in grades 9 through 12 reported their sexual identity as non-heterosexual (Phillips et al., 2024 ). This rise indicates that younger generations are becoming more accepting of LGBTQ+ persons in society. However, despite the increasing rates of coming out, the malice directed toward the LGBTQ community has not significantly decreased. According to a report by the Human Rights Campaign ( 2023 ), nearly 60% of LGBTQ youth have experienced teasing, bullying, or unfair treatment at school due to their gender identity or sexual orientation (Human Rights Campaign, 2023 ). Additionally, a national survey by The Trevor Project ( 2023 ) found that 49% of LGBTQ teenagers reported being bullied in person within the past year, indicating that discrimination and negative emotions continue to significantly affect the mental health and social experiences of LGBTQ youth (The Trevor Project, 2023 ). More results shown that 90% of LGBTQ+ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics and more than half (54%) of transgender and nonbinary young people found their school to be gender-affirming, and those who did reported lower rates of attempting suicide (The Trevor Project, 2023 ). Compared to the report done In 2016, 73% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing verbal threats due to their actual or perceived LGBTQ identity, with 30% receiving physical threats (Human Rights Campaign, 2016 ). Moreover, 70% of LGBTQ youth were bullied at school because of their sexual orientation, and 43% had been bullied on school property in the past 12 months. Transgender youth were particularly vulnerable, with 50% of transgender girls reporting physical threats (Human Rights Campaign, 2016 ), while improvement showed that while the reduction in reported bullying rates may indicate some progress, the data still highlights the continued and significant risks faced by LGBTQ youth in schools and other social environments. Due to the troubling consistency, LGBTQ students mental health crisis is another factor that they’re experiencing. According to Kann et al. ( 2016 ), about 40% of LGB students have considered suicide in the last year, and about 30% have attempted suicide (Abreu et al., 2022 ; Kann et al., 2016 ). School-Wide Practices to Protect and Advocate for LGBTQ Students Research suggests that schools must clearly define what constitutes LGBTQ-specific bullying and School administrators should proactively address sexual issues affecting their students. Schools that take bold steps and have community support can create a safe environment for students. This proactive approach not only alters attitudes but also influences students’ reports of their own and others’ behaviors. (Szalacha, 2003 ). Research has shown that there are numerous interventions that can be effectively implemented in school settings to reduce bullying incidents, support the mental health of LGBTQ students, alleviate stress, and increase resilience. School-wide programs and staff training can further enhance these efforts by equipping educators with the tools to intervene in bullying situations and offer support to LGBTQ students (McDermott et al., 2023 ). Research done by McDermott et al. ( 2023 ) found that context factors such as a “whole-school approach” and “collaborative leadership” were crucial to the delivery of successful interventions. Demographics and Lack of Representation in School Psychology However, a study by Abreu et al. (2021) highlighted the critical need for psychology research to carefully consider the demographic diversity of its samples to accurately interpret findings. Similarly, Peters et al. ( 2022 ) cautioned against the overgeneralization of research results, noting that conclusions drawn from one population may not necessarily apply to another. While lesbian and gay identities primarily relate to sexual orientation—defined by attraction to individuals of the same gender (Herek, 2000 ),the BTQ group encompasses a broader range of identities. Bisexual individuals experience attraction to more than one gender, transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from their sex assigned at birth (Budge et al., 2010 ), and queer/questioning individuals either reject traditional sexual orientation and gender labels or are still exploring their identities (Barker & Scheele, 2016 ). Given these distinctions, further investigation is warranted to determine whether current policies or programs in school psychology adequately address the unique needs of BTQ youth, and whether specialized interventions should be implemented to support this group. School Psychologists and Other School Personnel’s Role in Advocating for LGBTQ Students School psychologists and school staff play a vital role in advocating for LGBTQ students by providing ethical, competent services and fostering safe, inclusive environments (NASP, 2017; Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2020 ). They can challenge systemic oppression by promoting LGBTQ-inclusive policies, supporting GSAs, collaborating with stakeholders, and modeling acceptance (Leung et al., 2022; Murphy, 2012 ). However, a lack of diversity in the profession limits the range of perspectives and skills available (Grapin et al., 2016 ). Training programs often fall short in preparing school psychologists with adequate multicultural and LGBTQ-affirming content (Malone & Ishmail, 2020 ; Newell et al., 2010 ). This issue is especially critical for bilingual LGBTQ students, who may face dual marginalization due to language and cultural barriers (Baams et al., 2019 ). English language learners (ELL) who identify as LGBTQ often struggle to access appropriate mental health services, increasing their isolation. Bilingual school psychologists are essential in bridging these gaps, yet remain underrepresented, particularly those trained in LGBTQ issues (Ochoa & Rhodes, 2005 ). Addressing workforce diversity and improving training is crucial to ensuring all LGBTQ students receive inclusive, culturally responsive support. Current Study The primary objective of this study is to systematically review quantitative research and mix approaches research studies on LGBTQ students in school psychology journals from 2019 to 2024, building on the previous review by Abreu et al. ( 2022 ). Although Abreu et al. ( 2022 )’s paper provided great insight in terms of exploring the state of research in the field regarding LGBTQ youth in the schools from 2009–2019. Furthermore, this study aims to answer similar research questions that have been previously studied by examining more recent journal articles from 2019–2025. What have been the studies’ characteristics (e.g., topics, methodology)? What have been the sample characteristics across studies? What do studies reveal about school-based challenges and supports for LGBTQ + and transgender students? How do schools support LGBTQ+ students through policy, training, and the role of school psychologists? Method Current systematic review will explore and select research studies from global school psychology journals and strictly only school psychology journals. After journal selections, the review included the following journals: School psychology; School psychology forum, School psychology international; School psychology quarterly; School psychology review; Journal of Applied School Psychology, Positive School psychology, Canadian Journal of School Psychology. After the initial journal selection, the process moved on to initial papers screening and further selection. Each article was examined for patterns in LGBTQ experiences and outcomes. Thematic analysis will be used to identify common themes, with findings discussed and reconciled among the field experts to ensure accuracy. Current study will only focus on quantitative studies including quantitative, experiments and mixed-method research studies in each journal. Meanwhile, this search covers only the journals directly related to school psychology, as these journals work together to advance the development of school psychology through outreach research, practice, and policy to support the mental health and educational development of children and adolescents in school Settings. By focusing on journals in the field of school psychology, we can gain a deeper understanding of how school psychologists can support LGBTQ students on campus and foster a positive and safe upbringing environment that better meets their unique needs. Meanwhile reflect our research methods to better capture LGBTQ students’ experiences in the future. To capture all school psychology journals and papers we conducted a comprehensive journal search using three databases: Google Scholar, Taylor & Francis Online, Sage Journals, APA PsycNet. After narrowing down to 8 school psychology journals, a more meticulous paper selection followed. The overall article search procedure followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Liberati et al., 2009 ; Moher et al., 2009 ). To ensure that research papers directly related to school psychology were included in the review, we conducted an online search of the database using keywords related to LGBTQ students and retrieved the full text of each journal article. And use Excel to analyze and manage research papers and academic citations. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria and Article Search Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria The inclusion criteria are: (a) Experience-based research (i.e. qualitative and mixed approaches) (b) focusing on the experiences of LGBTQ students in school include intervention, bullying, supportive experiences, preventions, mental illness; (c) The study must be published between 2019 and 2024 in a peer-reviewed journal related to school psychology from any country in English; and (d) the article must focus on LGBTQ students, or include individuals who, while not part of the LGBTQ community themselves (e.g., heterosexual and cisgender peers, school psychologists, or other school personnel), play a meaningful role in shaping the experiences of LGBTQ youth. In other words, studies were included as long as the primary focus was on LGBTQ individuals, even if the participants were bystanders or individuals considered protective or risk factors in the school environment. Studies that did not focus on heterosexual and cis youth and teachers and/or school staff experienced by LGBTQ students were not included in this review. Exclusion criteria include articles that: (a) are not empirically based; (b) failing to focus on the experiences of LGBTQ students; (c) Not published in a school psychology journal; Or (d) not published between 2019 and 2024 Electronic Search Strategy To search for articles, variations of keywords related to sexual and gender identity, students, and the field of school psychology were used. Specifically, we used the following terms: (a) sexual and gender identity, LGBTQ, queer, gay, homosexuality, male homosexuality, bisexuality, lesbian, transgender, sexual orientation, sexual minority, gender identity, gender expression, gender diversity, gender expansive, genderqueer, and gender fluid; (b) student(s), alumnus, alumni, former student(s), and K-12 students; and (c) school psychology, school psychologist(s), and psychology in school(s). The search was structured as: (sexual and gender minorities OR sexual identity OR sexual minority OR sexual orientation OR homosexual OR gay OR lesbian OR bisexual OR transgender) AND (adolescent OR child OR teen OR youth OR student) AND (school AND climate OR environment)). These terms were searched in various combinations across databases to identify studies reporting on suicidality and mental health outcomes in relation to school climate among LGBTQ adolescents. Terms for suicidality and mental health were excluded from the initial search to maximize the yield of relevant studies for review. Articles Coding and Analysis For the paper screening process, the author initially conducted a visual scan of all research articles to ensure that the titles and abstracts referenced sexual and gender diversity. Following this, the author systematically reviewed the abstracts of all identified articles, carefully evaluating their content based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Figure 1 presents the PRISMA flow diagram, which illustrates the article selection process for this review. An initial search using Google Scholar yielded 2,310 LGBTQ-related articles, with an additional 10 articles identified through targeted searches on Taylor & Francis Online, SAGE Journals, and APA PsycNet. However, after cross-referencing, these 10 articles were found to be duplicates already included in the Google Scholar results. Thus, the review process began with a total of 2,310 articles. Then 565 articles were excluded due to irrelevant or inaccurate results. 1,110 articles were removed because they were not published in journals focused on school psychology. 421 articles were excluded after a review of titles and abstracts indicated they did not meet the inclusion criteria. To increase the number of eligible studies, the age range of participants was adjusted to include individuals aged 10 to 27, thereby capturing both middle/high school students and young adults in college settings. Following full-text screening, an additional 201 studies were excluded for being qualitative in design, as the review focused on quantitative findings. The final selection resulted in 13 articles that fully met the inclusion criteria. Notably, 3 studies were also included in the 2019 systematic review by Abreu et al. ( 2022 ). Additional overlapping articles were excluded due to not being published in school psychology journals. The entire search took three months. The authors read every article independently to identify topics, research questions, participant demographics, patterns about LGBTQ experiences in research methods, time published, author information, programs about prevention and intervention and research paper conclusion or results. After completion, the author engaged in several meetings with the second and third author to make sure each article met the previously identified criteria. [Figure 1 near here]. Results Research Question 1 Some studies (n = 13) reviewed the experiences of LGBTQ + and gender-minoritized students across diverse geographic locations, including the United States (n = 13), Canada (n = 2), China (n = 1), and Brazil (n = 1). Topics explored in these studies included school victimization and identity disclosure (Chan & Suen, 2023 ), school safety and belonging (e.g., Day et al., 2019 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ), and mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety (e.g., Parodi et al., 2022 ; Rivas-Koehl et al., 2022 ). Several studies examined the role of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) in fostering school engagement, resilience, and a sense of belonging among LGBTQ+ students (e.g., Chong et al., 2019 ; Di Stasio et al., 2023 ; Poteat et al., 2020 ). The top three popular keywords associated with LGBTQ students’ issues on campus underscore the multifaceted challenges and needs of this population. Among the key themes, School Climate (n = 8) emerged as the most frequently mentioned, emphasizing its critical role in shaping student outcomes. Research highlights the importance of supportive environments, as seen in studies like Crowley et al. ( 2019 ) and Hazel et al. ( 2019 ). Victimization and Bullying (n = 7) ranked second in frequency, with studies such as Smith et al. ( 2022 ) and Martin-Storey et al. ( 2021 ) documenting the detrimental impact of peer victimization on academic engagement and mental health. Additionally, protective factors, including inclusive policies and access to mental health resources, were frequently discussed (e.g., Espelage et al., 2023 ; Rivas-Koehl et al., 2022 ), highlighting the urgent need for systemic reforms to address the disparities faced by LGBTQ+ youth (Table 1). Research Question 2 The studies reviewed included sample sizes ranging from 92 to 113,148 participants, with a total of 219,262 participants across all studies (M = 14,617.47; Mdn = 1,078; SD = 30,421.56). This demonstrates a wide variation in sample sizes, with some studies drawing on large-scale datasets while others focused on smaller, more specific populations. See Table 2 for detailed information about studies’ characteristics including location and topics (Table 2). Race and Ethnicity All 13 studies reported racial/ethnic data (Table 2), though detail levels varied. White participants had the highest average representation (M = 57.9%), followed by Latinx/Hispanic (M = 19.9%), and Black/African American (M = 9.6%). Asian (M = 6.5%) and multiracial (M = 11.2%) participants appeared less frequently, while Native American/Indigenous (M = 4.3%) and Middle Eastern/Arab (M = 0.6%) groups were rarely reported. Sexual Orientation, Sex, and Gender Diversity Some studies (n = 2) did not explicitly report the sexual orientation of their participants, and therefore, each study’s reported percentage of each sexuality has a weight of 1/13. The most reported sexual identity across studies was heterosexual/straight (M = 44.7%; Mdn = 51.2%; range: 3.6%–78.0%; SD = 21.8%), as observed in studies such as Espelage et al. ( 2023 ) (75.8%) and Parodi et al. ( 2022 ) (78%). Gender Identity All studies (n = 13) reported participants’ gender identities, though the level of detail varied significantly. In two studies, participants could select multiple gender identities, resulting in totals exceeding 100% (Parodi et al., 2022 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ). Across studies, gender was frequently conflated with sex, with some studies using binary male/female classifications while others included diverse gender categories. The majority of participants across studies were cisgender, with an average percentage of 80.1% (Mdn = 85.1%; range: 50.7%–93.4%; SD = 14.5%). This category was prominently reported in studies such as Chan and Suen ( 2023 ) (93.0%), Smith et al. ( 2022 ) (96.1%), and Martin-Storey et al. ( 2021 ) (97.5%). Educational Level Most studies focused on high school students (n = 8), followed by studies including both middle and high school students (n = 4). Only one study (Chan & Suen, 2023 ) provided detailed data on postsecondary education levels, including college and graduate students, and examined individuals no longer in the educational system. Of the studies that reported educational levels, high school students comprised the largest group of participants, reported in studies such as Di Stasio et al. ( 2023 ), Espelage et al. ( 2023 ), and Parodi et al. ( 2022 ). Research Question 3 The third research question aims to investigate how researchers across studies have captured the experiences of LGBTQ students. The prevailing negative attitudes and behaviors directed toward LGBTQ students within school environments. The Prevailing Negative Attitudes and Behaviors A total of thirteen studies (n = 13) explored the relationship between negative and oppressive attitudes and behaviors toward LGBTQ students and their associated adverse outcomes. LGBTQ students frequently experience victimization, including verbal harassment, physical aggression, exclusion, and bullying rooted in homophobia and transphobia (Chong et al., 2019 ; Crowley et al., 2019 ; Di Stasio et al., 2023 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ; Martin-Storey et al., 2021 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ; Smith et al., 2022 ). Some studies (n = 5) pointed out that these behaviors are often exacerbated by systemic discrimination, such as the absence of inclusive policies, unresponsive teachers, and heteronormative school practices that perpetuate stigma and marginalization (Chan & Suen, 2023 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ; Parodi et al., 2022 ; Rivas-Koehl et al., 2022 ; Smith et al., 2022 ). This hostile school climate contributes to profound negative outcomes, including lower academic engagement, absenteeism, decreased school belonging, and diminished feelings of safety (Day et al., 2019 ; Hazel et al., 2019 ; Poteat et al., 2020 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ). Additionally, mental health challenges such as increased anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and feelings of isolation are consistently reported among LGBTQ students subjected to victimization (Chan & Suen, 2023 ; Di Stasio et al., 2023 ; Rivas-Koehl et al., 2022 ). School Supports and Initiatives A total of five studies (n = 5) addressed LGBTQ-specific advocacy and social support in schools and their impacts on school climate, student well-being, and identity disclosure. Several studies emphasized the role of Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) as a critical form of advocacy and social support for LGBTQ students. For example, GSAs were shown to foster safer school environments by promoting inclusivity, reducing victimization, and increasing school belonging for LGBTQ students (Di Stasio et al., 2023 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ). Advocacy through GSAs also provided opportunities for leadership and community building, which contributed to improved self-determination and positive emotional outcomes (Di Stasio et al., 2023 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ). Similarly, Espelage et al. ( 2023 ) found that peer-led intervention programs and supportive adults, such as school psychologists, served as protective factors, strengthening connections between students and trusted adults, and reducing dismissive attitudes toward LGBTQ issues. A recurring theme across these studies is the importance of advocacy initiatives that center both peer and adult support systems. Advocacy in schools often extended beyond GSAs to include broader structural changes. Hazel et al. ( 2019 ) noted that GSAs reduced victimization and positively influenced engagement for gender and sexual minority students. Similarly, Day et al. ( 2019 ) and Poteat et al. ( 2025 ) highlighted the protective role of GSAs in mitigating school victimization and providing critical social support for LGBTQ students. For example, anti-bullying policies and awareness campaigns, which helped foster a culture of acceptance and belonging (Di Stasio et al., 2023 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ). In terms of anti-discrimination measures, several studies (n = 6) underscored the need for anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies explicitly inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. Day et al. ( 2019 ) found that such policies led to lower rates of bullying and truancy among LGBTQ students, including transgender youth. Espelage et al. ( 2023 ) emphasized embedding these policies into broader school violence prevention initiatives, which include mandatory anti-discrimination training for staff and peer-led interventions. Crowley et al. ( 2019 ) highlighted that school climates improved significantly when policies addressed sexual harassment and included protections for gender identity. LGBTQ Victimization, Bystanders, and Perpetrators A total of thirteen studies (n = 13) explored LGBTQ victimization in schools, the roles of bystanders, and the behaviors of perpetrators. LGBTQ students consistently reported high rates of victimization, including verbal harassment, physical violence, and social exclusion, often rooted in their sexual orientation, gender identity, or perceived nonconformity to traditional gender norms. Victimization was also shown to hinder academic engagement and school belonging (Di Stasio et al., 2023 ; Hazel et al., 2019 ). Several studies (n = 8) examined the complex roles of bystanders, who often displayed varying behaviors in response to incidents of LGBTQ victimization. Many bystanders engaged in passive avoidance, failing to intervene due to fear of retaliation or uncertainty about how to respond effectively (Chan & Suen, 2023 ; Crowley et al., 2019 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ; Smith et al., 2022 ). However, a smaller subset of bystanders demonstrated defending behaviors, including reporting incidents to authorities, emotionally supporting victims, or intervening to stop the harassment. Defending behaviors were particularly common among those with close LGBTQ friendships or personal attributes such as bravery and a sense of justice (Chong et al., 2019 ; Martin-Storey et al., 2021 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ). Schools with inclusive climates and access to support structures, such as Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), were more likely to empower bystanders to act, highlighting the role of systemic support in encouraging intervention (Espelage et al., 2023 ; Poteat et al., 2020 ). The motivations and behaviors of perpetrators were analyzed in several studies (n = 9), which identified homophobic and transphobic attitudes as key drivers of bullying. Perpetrators often targeted LGBTQ students to enforce rigid gender norms or to assert social dominance, behaviors that were implicitly supported in permissive school climates where bullying and discrimination were normalized (Crowley et al., 2019 ; Rivas-Koehl et al., 2022 ; Smith et al., 2022 ). Weak anti-bullying policies and limited teacher training on LGBTQ inclusivity further enabled these behaviors, underscoring the importance of systemic interventions to address bias-based aggression (Chan & Suen, 2023 ; Day et al., 2019 ). Peer-led interventions, such as Sources of Strength programs, were shown to reduce perpetration rates by fostering connections with trusted adults and promoting a culture of respect and inclusivity (Espelage et al., 2023 ). Research Question 4 The fourth research question seeks to explore the recommendations across studies for interventions and the prevention of negative experiences among LGBTQ students in schools. The current study categorizes these recommendations into four key areas: (a) unique policies that are designed for queer group; (b) targeted training and intervention programs for faculty and school staff aimed at promoting the safety and well-being of LGBTQ students; and (c) the specific roles of school psychologists in supporting LGBTQ students, including considerations for bilingual or culturally responsive practices. Unique Policies for Q Groups Chong et al. ( 2019 ) emphasized that GSAs address both transgender and broader LGBTQ issues through peer discussions and youth empowerment programs. But three articles (n = 3) specifically discuss policy differences for transgender and Queer students compared to other LGB groups, emphasizing the urgent need to develop policies that address the unique challenges faced by transgender students. Espelage et al. ( 2023 ) highlighted the compounded risks transgender students face due to intersectional discrimination, such as the combination of transphobia with other forms of marginalization like racism. These intersecting vulnerabilities necessitate policies that go beyond general LGBTQ protections, as broader policies may fail to account for the nuanced challenges transgender students encounter. Similarly, Poteat et al. ( 2025 ) noted that while general LGBTQ policies often address sexual orientation and inclusivity broadly, policies tailored for transgender students focus on structural barriers and identity recognition. For instance, GSAs should actively advocate for trans-specific needs such as inclusive dress codes and awareness training that challenges binary norms. [Figure 2 near here]. Training and Intervention Programs for Faculty and School Staff Most studies (n = 8) in this review emphasized the role of faculty and school staff training in promoting the safety of LGBTQ students. For example, several studies (n = 6) highlighted the importance of providing ongoing professional development to educate faculty and staff on supporting LGBTQ students effectively and creating safer school environments. Some studies (n = 3) highlighted how inclusive school policies and teacher training programs were essential in establishing supportive school climates for LGBTQ students (Chan & Suen, 2023 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ; Smith et al., 2022 ). However, Smith et al. ( 2022 ) observed that the effectiveness of such advocacy efforts varied widely depending on the level of staff engagement and institutional commitment. Additionally, Chan and Suen ( 2023 ) noted that schools with explicit sexual and gender diversity education were more likely to empower LGBTQ students to express their identities without fear of victimization or marginalization. Chan and Suen ( 2023 ) advocated for training programs that address biases and promote gender diversity education, particularly in regions where heteronormativity is prevalent and silence around LGBTQ issues exacerbates marginalization. Similarly, Espelage et al. ( 2023 ) emphasized the need for mandatory anti-discrimination training for staff, noting that such training improves their ability to address harassment and violence targeted at LGBTQ students, especially transgender youth. Other studies (n = 5) specifically pointed out the need to include bystander awareness and intervention strategies in faculty training. Notably, Crowley et al. ( 2019 ) suggested that staff training should focus on enabling teachers to recognize and respond to instances of sexual harassment and bullying, thereby fostering a more inclusive and protective school climate. [Figure 3 near here]. Specific Roles of School Psychologists in Supporting LGBTQ Students Most studies (n = 6) in this review emphasized the critical role of school psychologists in supporting LGBTQ students and promoting their safety and well-being (Crowley et al., 2019 ; Day et al., 2019 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ; Hazel et al., 2019 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ; Rivas-Koehl et al., 2022 ). Several studies (n = 4) highlighted the importance of school psychologists serving as advocates for inclusive policies and practices (Crowley et al., 2019 ; Day et al., 2019 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ; Poteat et al., 2025 ). For example, Day et al. ( 2019 ) emphasized that school psychologists should actively participate in implementing anti-bullying policies that explicitly address sexual orientation and gender identity. Similarly, Espelage et al. ( 2023 ) suggested that school psychologists play a key role in promoting peer-led interventions, such as Sources of Strength programs, to reduce sexual violence and harassment against LGBTQ students, particularly transgender youth. In terms of bilingual school psychologists, one study (Chan & Suen, 2023 ) explicitly emphasized the importance of language accessibility in supporting LGBTQ students. The research highlighted the critical role bilingual school psychologists play in engaging with non-English-speaking families and ensuring that students from diverse linguistic backgrounds have access to inclusive mental health and academic support. While this aspect was not commonly discussed across all studies, Chan and Suen ( 2023 ) demonstrated that bilingual school psychologists are uniquely positioned to address cultural and linguistic barriers that may affect LGBTQ students’ experiences. Discussion of Implications for Practice While the current systematic review offers a comprehensive understanding of LGBTQ students’ experiences in school environments, it also exposed several gaps that need to be explored in future research. First, there is a need for more longitudinal studies that examine the long-term impacts of school policies and programs, such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), on the mental health and academic outcomes of LGBTQ students. Most reviewed studies utilized cross-sectional designs, limiting the ability to infer causality or examine the durability of interventions over time. Future research could address this gap by evaluating the sustained effects of inclusive policies and interventions beyond high school, particularly into college and early adulthood. Meanwhile, given the newly changed political policies, how can schools and their staff be better supported in sustaining programs that provide ongoing support especially for queer communities? Second, a significant gap exists in the literature on intersectionality within the LGBTQ student population. While some studies (e.g., Chan & Suen, 2023 ; Espelage et al., 2023 ) addressed the compounded risks faced by transgender students and those experiencing racial and linguistic marginalization, more research is needed to explore how various intersecting identities, such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability, influence LGBTQ students’ experiences. For example, how do the experiences of a transgender student of color differ from those of a white transgender student? Addressing these nuanced dynamics could inform the development of tailored interventions that account for multiple dimensions of identity. Third, while this review highlights the importance of policies and interventions, the studies reviewed often lacked detailed information on the implementation and enforcement of these policies. For instance, the effectiveness of GSAs or anti-bullying policies may vary widely depending on factors such as staff training, school leadership, and community support, yet these contextual variables were seldom addressed in detail. Future research should focus on the implementation fidelity and contextual factors that influence the success of school-wide interventions. Forth, additional research is warranted on the unique needs and experiences of bilingual LGBTQ students. While Chan and Suen ( 2023 ) highlighted the importance of bilingual school psychologists, there is limited empirical research on how language barriers and cultural differences influence the school experiences and mental health of LGBTQ students from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Future studies could explore the effectiveness of bilingual counseling and support services in reducing isolation and increasing access to resources for these students. Moreover, few studies have focused on the role of digital spaces in shaping LGBTQ students’ experiences, particularly in the post-pandemic era where online learning and virtual interactions have become more prevalent. Research could investigate how cyberbullying, online GSAs, and virtual support groups impact LGBTQ students’ well-being and social connections. Limitations Despite its contributions, this systematic review has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, the study exclusively focused on articles published in school psychology journals, which may have excluded relevant research from other disciplines such as sociology, public health, or education. This limited scope might have overlooked diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches to addressing LGBTQ students’ experiences. Second, the reliance on quantitative and mixed-methods studies may have resulted in the exclusion of in-depth qualitative research that could provide richer narratives and insights into LGBTQ students’ lived experiences. While quantitative studies offer valuable statistical trends, qualitative research could uncover the emotional and social complexities of school environments for LGBTQ students. Lastly, the lack of studies on Queer students as a distinct subgroup limits our understanding of their specific needs and challenges. While the reviewed research often grouped LGBTQ students together, it is important to recognize that Queer students may face unique barriers due to the fluidity and nonconformity associated with their identities. Future research should explore how existing policies and interventions can be adapted to better serve Queer students. Data availability statement Data available upon request. Declarations Author Contribution The first author is the main contributor and writer. The second author is supervisor and editor. This paper was reviewed by the third author and the forth author. Acknowledgement N.A Data Availability Data available upon request. References Abreu, R. L., Black, W. W., Mosley, D. V., & Fedewa, A. L. (2016). LGBTQ youth bullying experiences in schools: The role of school counselors within a system of oppression. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health , 11 , 325–342. Abreu, R. L., Audette, L., Mitchell, Y., Simpson, I., Ward, J., Ackerman, L., Gonzalez, K. 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B. (2024). Changes to sexual identity response options in the youth risk behavior survey. JAMA Pediatrics , 178 (5), 506–508. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.0024 Poteat, V. P., Marx, R. A., Richburg, A., Calzo, J. P., Bliss, C. C., Yoshikawa, H., & Lipkin, A. (2025). Gender-sexuality alliance experiences and LGBTQ+ inclusive school policies and practices predict youth’s school belonging. Journal of Youth and Adolescence , 54 (1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-02060-0 Poteat, V. P., Rivers, I., & Vecho, O. (2020). Membership experiences in gender-sexuality alliances (GSAs) predict increased hope and attenuate the effects of victimization. Journal of School Psychology , 79 , 16–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2020.02.001 Rivas-Koehl, M., Valido, A., Espelage, D. L., Robinson, L. E., Hong, J. S., Kuehl, T., Mintz, S., & Wyman, P. A. (2022). Understanding protective factors for suicidality and depression among U.S. sexual and gender minority adolescents: Implications for school psychologists. School Psychology Review , 51 (3), 290–303. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1881411 Smith, T. E., Bauerband, L. A., Aguayo, D., McCall, C. S., Huang, F. L., Reinke, W. M., & Herman, K. C. (2022). School Bullying and Gender Minority Youth: Victimization Experiences and Perceived Prevalence. School Psychology Review , 53 (6), 722–735. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.2002123 Snapp, S. D., Hoenig, J. M., Fields, A., & Russell, S. T. (2015). Messy, butch, and queer: LGBTQ youth and the school-to-prison pipeline. Journal of Adolescent Research , 30 (1), 57–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558414557625 Szalacha, L. A. (2003). Safer sexual diversity climates: Lessons learned from an evaluation of Massachusetts safe schools program for gay and lesbian students. American Journal of Education , 110 (1), 58–88. https://doi.org/10.1086/377673 The Trevor Project (2023). 2024 National survey on LGBTQ+ youth mental health . https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024/ Toomey, R. B., Ryan, C., Diaz, R. M., & Russell, S. T. (2011). High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Young Adult Well-Being: An Examination of GSA Presence, Participation, and Perceived Effectiveness. Applied developmental science , 15 (4), 175–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2011.607378 Wernick, L. J., Espinoza-Kulick, A., Inglehart, M., Bolgatz, J., & Dessel, A. B. (2021a). Influence of multicultural curriculum and role models on high school students’ willingness to intervene in anti-LGBTQ harassment. Children and Youth Services Review , 129 , 106211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106211 Williams, A. J., Jones, C., Arcelus, J., Townsend, E., Lazaridou, A., & Michail, M. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of victimisation and mental health prevalence among LGBTQ+ young people with experiences of self-harm and suicide. PLOS One , 16 (1), e0245268. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245268 Tables Tables are available in the Supplementary Files section. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Tables.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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The findings emphasize the need for more inclusive, community-driven approaches and highlight gaps in diversity and global representation that must be addressed to improve school climates for LGBTQ youth.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Introduction\",\"content\":\" \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eLGBTQ Student Experiences in Schools From 2019\\u0026ndash;2025: A Systematic Review of Study Characteristics and Recommendations for Prevention and Intervention in School Psychology Journals\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eLGBTQ student experiences in schools are marked by significantly higher rates of harassment, bullying, and victimization compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers (Aragon et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR3\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2014\\u003c/span\\u003e; Day et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR14\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2018\\u003c/span\\u003e; Eisenberg et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR16\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). According to the report by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network 2017 (Kosciw et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR27\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2018\\u003c/span\\u003e), 70.1% of LGBTQ students were verbally harassed at school due to their sexual orientation, 59.1% for their gender expression, and 53.2% for their gender. These findings are similar to the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which showed that 33.0% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual students were bullied on school property in the past year, compared to 17.1% of heterosexual students. (Hinduja \\u0026amp; Patchin, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR22\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThese negative experiences lead to adverse mental health outcomes, such as increased rates of depression and anxiety, and hinder academic performance, making LGBTQ students more likely to miss school and less likely to pursue postsecondary education (Aragon et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR3\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2014\\u003c/span\\u003e; Black et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR7\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2012\\u003c/span\\u003e; Hawton et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR19\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2012\\u003c/span\\u003e; Murphy, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR34\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2012\\u003c/span\\u003e; Williams et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR50\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e). Therefore, school-wide practices are essential in creating supportive environments for LGBTQ students. Implementing inclusive policies, LGBTQ-affirming curricula, and professional development opportunities for teachers and school staff are critical steps in this process (Abreu et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR1\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR2\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn recent years, as society\\u0026rsquo;s attention to the LGBTQ community has increased, along with advocacy on social media and the further improvement of school policies, more and more teenagers are coming out. The most recent research, which was published this year, indicates that 28% of Gen Z people, or those between the ages of 18 and 25, identify as LGBTQ+. This finding aligned with a National Survey Northwestern Medicine comparative analysis of national survey results, it found that one in four U.S. adolescents in grades 9 through 12 reported their sexual identity as non-heterosexual (Phillips et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR40\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2024\\u003c/span\\u003e). This rise indicates that younger generations are becoming more accepting of LGBTQ+ persons in society. However, despite the increasing rates of coming out, the malice directed toward the LGBTQ community has not significantly decreased. According to a report by the Human Rights Campaign (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR25\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e), nearly 60% of LGBTQ youth have experienced teasing, bullying, or unfair treatment at school due to their gender identity or sexual orientation (Human Rights Campaign, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR25\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e). Additionally, a national survey by The Trevor Project (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR47\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) found that 49% of LGBTQ teenagers reported being bullied in person within the past year, indicating that discrimination and negative emotions continue to significantly affect the mental health and social experiences of LGBTQ youth (The Trevor Project, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR47\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e). More results shown that 90% of LGBTQ+ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics and more than half (54%) of transgender and nonbinary young people found their school to be gender-affirming, and those who did reported lower rates of attempting suicide (The Trevor Project, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR47\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e). Compared to the report done In 2016, 73% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing verbal threats due to their actual or perceived LGBTQ identity, with 30% receiving physical threats (Human Rights Campaign, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR23\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e). Moreover, 70% of LGBTQ youth were bullied at school because of their sexual orientation, and 43% had been bullied on school property in the past 12 months. Transgender youth were particularly vulnerable, with 50% of transgender girls reporting physical threats (Human Rights Campaign, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR23\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e), while improvement showed that while the reduction in reported bullying rates may indicate some progress, the data still highlights the continued and significant risks faced by LGBTQ youth in schools and other social environments. Due to the troubling consistency, LGBTQ students mental health crisis is another factor that they\\u0026rsquo;re experiencing. According to Kann et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR26\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e), about 40% of LGB students have considered suicide in the last year, and about 30% have attempted suicide (Abreu et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR2\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e; Kann et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR26\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eSchool-Wide Practices to Protect and Advocate for LGBTQ Students\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eResearch suggests that schools must clearly define what constitutes LGBTQ-specific bullying and School administrators should proactively address sexual issues affecting their students. Schools that take bold steps and have community support can create a safe environment for students. This proactive approach not only alters attitudes but also influences students\\u0026rsquo; reports of their own and others\\u0026rsquo; behaviors. (Szalacha, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR46\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2003\\u003c/span\\u003e). Research has shown that there are numerous interventions that can be effectively implemented in school settings to reduce bullying incidents, support the mental health of LGBTQ students, alleviate stress, and increase resilience. School-wide programs and staff training can further enhance these efforts by equipping educators with the tools to intervene in bullying situations and offer support to LGBTQ students (McDermott et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR32\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e). Research done by McDermott et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR32\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) found that context factors such as a \\u0026ldquo;whole-school approach\\u0026rdquo; and \\u0026ldquo;collaborative leadership\\u0026rdquo; were crucial to the delivery of successful interventions.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec3\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eDemographics and Lack of Representation in School Psychology\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHowever, a study by Abreu et al. (2021) highlighted the critical need for psychology research to carefully consider the demographic diversity of its samples to accurately interpret findings. Similarly, Peters et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR39\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) cautioned against the overgeneralization of research results, noting that conclusions drawn from one population may not necessarily apply to another. While lesbian and gay identities primarily relate to sexual orientation\\u0026mdash;defined by attraction to individuals of the same gender (Herek, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR21\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2000\\u003c/span\\u003e),the BTQ group encompasses a broader range of identities. Bisexual individuals experience attraction to more than one gender, transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from their sex assigned at birth (Budge et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR8\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2010\\u003c/span\\u003e), and queer/questioning individuals either reject traditional sexual orientation and gender labels or are still exploring their identities (Barker \\u0026amp; Scheele, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR6\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e). Given these distinctions, further investigation is warranted to determine whether current policies or programs in school psychology adequately address the unique needs of BTQ youth, and whether specialized interventions should be implemented to support this group.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eSchool Psychologists and Other School Personnel’s Role in Advocating for LGBTQ Students\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eSchool psychologists and school staff play a vital role in advocating for LGBTQ students by providing ethical, competent services and fostering safe, inclusive environments (NASP, 2017; Human Rights Campaign Foundation, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR24\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e). They can challenge systemic oppression by promoting LGBTQ-inclusive policies, supporting GSAs, collaborating with stakeholders, and modeling acceptance (Leung et al., 2022; Murphy, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR34\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2012\\u003c/span\\u003e). However, a lack of diversity in the profession limits the range of perspectives and skills available (Grapin et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR18\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e). Training programs often fall short in preparing school psychologists with adequate multicultural and LGBTQ-affirming content (Malone \\u0026amp; Ishmail, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR30\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e; Newell et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR36\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2010\\u003c/span\\u003e). This issue is especially critical for bilingual LGBTQ students, who may face dual marginalization due to language and cultural barriers (Baams et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR5\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). English language learners (ELL) who identify as LGBTQ often struggle to access appropriate mental health services, increasing their isolation. Bilingual school psychologists are essential in bridging these gaps, yet remain underrepresented, particularly those trained in LGBTQ issues (Ochoa \\u0026amp; Rhodes, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR37\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2005\\u003c/span\\u003e). Addressing workforce diversity and improving training is crucial to ensuring all LGBTQ students receive inclusive, culturally responsive support.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eCurrent Study\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe primary objective of this study is to systematically review quantitative research and mix approaches research studies on LGBTQ students in school psychology journals from 2019 to 2024, building on the previous review by Abreu et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR2\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). Although Abreu et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR2\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e)\\u0026rsquo;s paper provided great insight in terms of exploring the state of research in the field regarding LGBTQ youth in the schools from 2009\\u0026ndash;2019. Furthermore, this study aims to answer similar research questions that have been previously studied by examining more recent journal articles from 2019\\u0026ndash;2025.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003col\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWhat have been the studies\\u0026rsquo; characteristics (e.g., topics, methodology)?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWhat have been the sample characteristics across studies?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWhat do studies reveal about school-based challenges and supports for LGBTQ\\u0026thinsp;+\\u0026thinsp;and transgender students?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHow do schools support LGBTQ+ students through policy, training, and the role of school psychologists?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003c/ol\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Method\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eCurrent systematic review will explore and select research studies from global school psychology journals and strictly only school psychology journals. After journal selections, the review included the following journals: School psychology; School psychology forum, School psychology international; School psychology quarterly; School psychology review; Journal of Applied School Psychology, Positive School psychology, Canadian Journal of School Psychology. After the initial journal selection, the process moved on to initial papers screening and further selection. Each article was examined for patterns in LGBTQ experiences and outcomes. Thematic analysis will be used to identify common themes, with findings discussed and reconciled among the field experts to ensure accuracy. Current study will only focus on quantitative studies including quantitative, experiments and mixed-method research studies in each journal. Meanwhile, this search covers only the journals directly related to school psychology, as these journals work together to advance the development of school psychology through outreach research, practice, and policy to support the mental health and educational development of children and adolescents in school Settings. By focusing on journals in the field of school psychology, we can gain a deeper understanding of how school psychologists can support LGBTQ students on campus and foster a positive and safe upbringing environment that better meets their unique needs. Meanwhile reflect our research methods to better capture LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; experiences in the future.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTo capture all school psychology journals and papers we conducted a comprehensive journal search using three databases: Google Scholar, Taylor \\u0026amp; Francis Online, Sage Journals, APA PsycNet. After narrowing down to 8 school psychology journals, a more meticulous paper selection followed. The overall article search procedure followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Liberati et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR29\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2009\\u003c/span\\u003e; Moher et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR33\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2009\\u003c/span\\u003e). To ensure that research papers directly related to school psychology were included in the review, we conducted an online search of the database using keywords related to LGBTQ students and retrieved the full text of each journal article. And use Excel to analyze and manage research papers and academic citations.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eInclusion and Exclusion Criteria and Article Search\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec8\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eInclusion and Exclusion Criteria\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe inclusion criteria are: (a) Experience-based research (i.e. qualitative and mixed approaches) (b) focusing on the experiences of LGBTQ students in school include intervention, bullying, supportive experiences, preventions, mental illness; (c) The study must be published between 2019 and 2024 in a peer-reviewed journal related to school psychology from any country in English; and (d) the article must focus on LGBTQ students, or include individuals who, while not part of the LGBTQ community themselves (e.g., heterosexual and cisgender peers, school psychologists, or other school personnel), play a meaningful role in shaping the experiences of LGBTQ youth. In other words, studies were included as long as the primary focus was on LGBTQ individuals, even if the participants were bystanders or individuals considered protective or risk factors in the school environment. Studies that did not focus on heterosexual and cis youth and teachers and/or school staff experienced by LGBTQ students were not included in this review. Exclusion criteria include articles that: (a) are not empirically based; (b) failing to focus on the experiences of LGBTQ students; (c) Not published in a school psychology journal; Or (d) not published between 2019 and 2024\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eElectronic Search Strategy\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eTo search for articles, variations of keywords related to sexual and gender identity, students, and the field of school psychology were used. Specifically, we used the following terms: (a) sexual and gender identity, LGBTQ, queer, gay, homosexuality, male homosexuality, bisexuality, lesbian, transgender, sexual orientation, sexual minority, gender identity, gender expression, gender diversity, gender expansive, genderqueer, and gender fluid; (b) student(s), alumnus, alumni, former student(s), and K-12 students; and (c) school psychology, school psychologist(s), and psychology in school(s). The search was structured as: (sexual and gender minorities OR sexual identity OR sexual minority OR sexual orientation OR homosexual OR gay OR lesbian OR bisexual OR transgender) AND (adolescent OR child OR teen OR youth OR student) AND (school AND climate OR environment)). These terms were searched in various combinations across databases to identify studies reporting on suicidality and mental health outcomes in relation to school climate among LGBTQ adolescents. Terms for suicidality and mental health were excluded from the initial search to maximize the yield of relevant studies for review.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eArticles Coding and Analysis\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eFor the paper screening process, the author initially conducted a visual scan of all research articles to ensure that the titles and abstracts referenced sexual and gender diversity. Following this, the author systematically reviewed the abstracts of all identified articles, carefully evaluating their content based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Figure\\u0026nbsp;1 presents the PRISMA flow diagram, which illustrates the article selection process for this review. An initial search using Google Scholar yielded 2,310 LGBTQ-related articles, with an additional 10 articles identified through targeted searches on Taylor \\u0026amp; Francis Online, SAGE Journals, and APA PsycNet. However, after cross-referencing, these 10 articles were found to be duplicates already included in the Google Scholar results. Thus, the review process began with a total of 2,310 articles. Then 565 articles were excluded due to irrelevant or inaccurate results. 1,110 articles were removed because they were not published in journals focused on school psychology. 421 articles were excluded after a review of titles and abstracts indicated they did not meet the inclusion criteria. To increase the number of eligible studies, the age range of participants was adjusted to include individuals aged 10 to 27, thereby capturing both middle/high school students and young adults in college settings. Following full-text screening, an additional 201 studies were excluded for being qualitative in design, as the review focused on quantitative findings. The final selection resulted in 13 articles that fully met the inclusion criteria. Notably, 3 studies were also included in the 2019 systematic review by Abreu et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR2\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). Additional overlapping articles were excluded due to not being published in school psychology journals. The entire search took three months. The authors read every article independently to identify topics, research questions, participant demographics, patterns about LGBTQ experiences in research methods, time published, author information, programs about prevention and intervention and research paper conclusion or results. After completion, the author engaged in several meetings with the second and third author to make sure each article met the previously identified criteria.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e[Figure 1 near here].\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Results\",\"content\":\"\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec12\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eResearch Question 1\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSome studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;13) reviewed the experiences of LGBTQ\\u0026thinsp;+\\u0026thinsp;and gender-minoritized students across diverse geographic locations, including the United States (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;13), Canada (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2), China (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;1), and Brazil (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;1). Topics explored in these studies included school victimization and identity disclosure (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e), school safety and belonging (e.g., Day et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e), and mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety (e.g., Parodi et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR38\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e; Rivas-Koehl et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR43\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). Several studies examined the role of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) in fostering school engagement, resilience, and a sense of belonging among LGBTQ+ students (e.g., Chong et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR11\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Di Stasio et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR42\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e). The top three popular keywords associated with LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; issues on campus underscore the multifaceted challenges and needs of this population. Among the key themes, School Climate (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;8) emerged as the most frequently mentioned, emphasizing its critical role in shaping student outcomes. Research highlights the importance of supportive environments, as seen in studies like Crowley et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) and Hazel et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR20\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). Victimization and Bullying (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;7) ranked second in frequency, with studies such as Smith et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) and Martin-Storey et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e) documenting the detrimental impact of peer victimization on academic engagement and mental health. Additionally, protective factors, including inclusive policies and access to mental health resources, were frequently discussed (e.g., Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Rivas-Koehl et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR43\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e), highlighting the urgent need for systemic reforms to address the disparities faced by LGBTQ+ youth (Table\\u0026nbsp;1).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec13\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eResearch Question 2\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe studies reviewed included sample sizes ranging from 92 to 113,148 participants, with a total of 219,262 participants across all studies (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;14,617.47; Mdn\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;1,078; SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;30,421.56). This demonstrates a wide variation in sample sizes, with some studies drawing on large-scale datasets while others focused on smaller, more specific populations. See Table\\u0026nbsp;2 for detailed information about studies\\u0026rsquo; characteristics including location and topics (Table\\u0026nbsp;2).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec14\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eRace and Ethnicity\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAll 13 studies reported racial/ethnic data (Table\\u0026nbsp;2), though detail levels varied. White participants had the highest average representation (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;57.9%), followed by Latinx/Hispanic (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;19.9%), and Black/African American (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;9.6%). Asian (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;6.5%) and multiracial (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;11.2%) participants appeared less frequently, while Native American/Indigenous (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;4.3%) and Middle Eastern/Arab (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.6%) groups were rarely reported.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec15\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eSexual Orientation, Sex, and Gender Diversity\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSome studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2) did not explicitly report the sexual orientation of their participants, and therefore, each study\\u0026rsquo;s reported percentage of each sexuality has a weight of 1/13. The most reported sexual identity across studies was heterosexual/straight (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;44.7%; Mdn\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;51.2%; range: 3.6%\\u0026ndash;78.0%; SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;21.8%), as observed in studies such as Espelage et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) (75.8%) and Parodi et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR38\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) (78%).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec16\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eGender Identity\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAll studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;13) reported participants\\u0026rsquo; gender identities, though the level of detail varied significantly. In two studies, participants could select multiple gender identities, resulting in totals exceeding 100% (Parodi et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR38\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e). Across studies, gender was frequently conflated with sex, with some studies using binary male/female classifications while others included diverse gender categories. The majority of participants across studies were cisgender, with an average percentage of 80.1% (Mdn\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;85.1%; range: 50.7%\\u0026ndash;93.4%; SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;14.5%). This category was prominently reported in studies such as Chan and Suen (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) (93.0%), Smith et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) (96.1%), and Martin-Storey et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e) (97.5%).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec17\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eEducational Level\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMost studies focused on high school students (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;8), followed by studies including both middle and high school students (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;4). Only one study (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) provided detailed data on postsecondary education levels, including college and graduate students, and examined individuals no longer in the educational system. Of the studies that reported educational levels, high school students comprised the largest group of participants, reported in studies such as Di Stasio et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e), Espelage et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e), and Parodi et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR38\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec18\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eResearch Question 3\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe third research question aims to investigate how researchers across studies have captured the experiences of LGBTQ students. The prevailing negative attitudes and behaviors directed toward LGBTQ students within school environments.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec19\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eThe Prevailing Negative Attitudes and Behaviors\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eA total of thirteen studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;13) explored the relationship between negative and oppressive attitudes and behaviors toward LGBTQ students and their associated adverse outcomes. LGBTQ students frequently experience victimization, including verbal harassment, physical aggression, exclusion, and bullying rooted in homophobia and transphobia (Chong et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR11\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Crowley et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Di Stasio et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Martin-Storey et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e; Smith et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). Some studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;5) pointed out that these behaviors are often exacerbated by systemic discrimination, such as the absence of inclusive policies, unresponsive teachers, and heteronormative school practices that perpetuate stigma and marginalization (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Parodi et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR38\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e; Rivas-Koehl et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR43\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e; Smith et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). This hostile school climate contributes to profound negative outcomes, including lower academic engagement, absenteeism, decreased school belonging, and diminished feelings of safety (Day et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Hazel et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR20\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR42\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e). Additionally, mental health challenges such as increased anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and feelings of isolation are consistently reported among LGBTQ students subjected to victimization (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Di Stasio et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Rivas-Koehl et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR43\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec20\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eSchool Supports and Initiatives\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eA total of five studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;5) addressed LGBTQ-specific advocacy and social support in schools and their impacts on school climate, student well-being, and identity disclosure. Several studies emphasized the role of Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) as a critical form of advocacy and social support for LGBTQ students. For example, GSAs were shown to foster safer school environments by promoting inclusivity, reducing victimization, and increasing school belonging for LGBTQ students (Di Stasio et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e). Advocacy through GSAs also provided opportunities for leadership and community building, which contributed to improved self-determination and positive emotional outcomes (Di Stasio et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e). Similarly, Espelage et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) found that peer-led intervention programs and supportive adults, such as school psychologists, served as protective factors, strengthening connections between students and trusted adults, and reducing dismissive attitudes toward LGBTQ issues.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eA recurring theme across these studies is the importance of advocacy initiatives that center both peer and adult support systems. Advocacy in schools often extended beyond GSAs to include broader structural changes. Hazel et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR20\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) noted that GSAs reduced victimization and positively influenced engagement for gender and sexual minority students. Similarly, Day et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) and Poteat et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e) highlighted the protective role of GSAs in mitigating school victimization and providing critical social support for LGBTQ students. For example, anti-bullying policies and awareness campaigns, which helped foster a culture of acceptance and belonging (Di Stasio et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn terms of anti-discrimination measures, several studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;6) underscored the need for anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies explicitly inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. Day et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) found that such policies led to lower rates of bullying and truancy among LGBTQ students, including transgender youth. Espelage et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) emphasized embedding these policies into broader school violence prevention initiatives, which include mandatory anti-discrimination training for staff and peer-led interventions. Crowley et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) highlighted that school climates improved significantly when policies addressed sexual harassment and included protections for gender identity.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec21\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eLGBTQ Victimization, Bystanders, and Perpetrators\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eA total of thirteen studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;13) explored LGBTQ victimization in schools, the roles of bystanders, and the behaviors of perpetrators. LGBTQ students consistently reported high rates of victimization, including verbal harassment, physical violence, and social exclusion, often rooted in their sexual orientation, gender identity, or perceived nonconformity to traditional gender norms.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eVictimization was also shown to hinder academic engagement and school belonging (Di Stasio et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Hazel et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR20\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). Several studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;8) examined the complex roles of bystanders, who often displayed varying behaviors in response to incidents of LGBTQ victimization. Many bystanders engaged in passive avoidance, failing to intervene due to fear of retaliation or uncertainty about how to respond effectively (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Crowley et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Smith et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). However, a smaller subset of bystanders demonstrated defending behaviors, including reporting incidents to authorities, emotionally supporting victims, or intervening to stop the harassment. Defending behaviors were particularly common among those with close LGBTQ friendships or personal attributes such as bravery and a sense of justice (Chong et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR11\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Martin-Storey et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e). Schools with inclusive climates and access to support structures, such as Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), were more likely to empower bystanders to act, highlighting the role of systemic support in encouraging intervention (Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR42\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e). The motivations and behaviors of perpetrators were analyzed in several studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;9), which identified homophobic and transphobic attitudes as key drivers of bullying. Perpetrators often targeted LGBTQ students to enforce rigid gender norms or to assert social dominance, behaviors that were implicitly supported in permissive school climates where bullying and discrimination were normalized (Crowley et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Rivas-Koehl et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR43\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e; Smith et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). Weak anti-bullying policies and limited teacher training on LGBTQ inclusivity further enabled these behaviors, underscoring the importance of systemic interventions to address bias-based aggression (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Day et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). Peer-led interventions, such as Sources of Strength programs, were shown to reduce perpetration rates by fostering connections with trusted adults and promoting a culture of respect and inclusivity (Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec22\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eResearch Question 4\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe fourth research question seeks to explore the recommendations across studies for interventions and the prevention of negative experiences among LGBTQ students in schools. The current study categorizes these recommendations into four key areas: (a) unique policies that are designed for queer group; (b) targeted training and intervention programs for faculty and school staff aimed at promoting the safety and well-being of LGBTQ students; and (c) the specific roles of school psychologists in supporting LGBTQ students, including considerations for bilingual or culturally responsive practices.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec23\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eUnique Policies for Q Groups\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eChong et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR11\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) emphasized that GSAs address both transgender and broader LGBTQ issues through peer discussions and youth empowerment programs. But three articles (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3) specifically discuss policy differences for transgender and Queer students compared to other LGB groups, emphasizing the urgent need to develop policies that address the unique challenges faced by transgender students. Espelage et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) highlighted the compounded risks transgender students face due to intersectional discrimination, such as the combination of transphobia with other forms of marginalization like racism. These intersecting vulnerabilities necessitate policies that go beyond general LGBTQ protections, as broader policies may fail to account for the nuanced challenges transgender students encounter. Similarly, Poteat et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e) noted that while general LGBTQ policies often address sexual orientation and inclusivity broadly, policies tailored for transgender students focus on structural barriers and identity recognition. For instance, GSAs should actively advocate for trans-specific needs such as inclusive dress codes and awareness training that challenges binary norms.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e[Figure 2 near here].\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec24\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eTraining and Intervention Programs for Faculty and School Staff\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMost studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;8) in this review emphasized the role of faculty and school staff training in promoting the safety of LGBTQ students. For example, several studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;6) highlighted the importance of providing ongoing professional development to educate faculty and staff on supporting LGBTQ students effectively and creating safer school environments. Some studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3) highlighted how inclusive school policies and teacher training programs were essential in establishing supportive school climates for LGBTQ students (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Smith et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). However, Smith et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR44\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) observed that the effectiveness of such advocacy efforts varied widely depending on the level of staff engagement and institutional commitment. Additionally, Chan and Suen (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) noted that schools with explicit sexual and gender diversity education were more likely to empower LGBTQ students to express their identities without fear of victimization or marginalization.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eChan and Suen (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) advocated for training programs that address biases and promote gender diversity education, particularly in regions where heteronormativity is prevalent and silence around LGBTQ issues exacerbates marginalization. Similarly, Espelage et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) emphasized the need for mandatory anti-discrimination training for staff, noting that such training improves their ability to address harassment and violence targeted at LGBTQ students, especially transgender youth. Other studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;5) specifically pointed out the need to include bystander awareness and intervention strategies in faculty training. Notably, Crowley et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) suggested that staff training should focus on enabling teachers to recognize and respond to instances of sexual harassment and bullying, thereby fostering a more inclusive and protective school climate.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e[Figure 3 near here].\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec25\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eSpecific Roles of School Psychologists in Supporting LGBTQ Students\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMost studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;6) in this review emphasized the critical role of school psychologists in supporting LGBTQ students and promoting their safety and well-being (Crowley et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Day et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Hazel et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR20\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e; Rivas-Koehl et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR43\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). Several studies (n\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;4) highlighted the importance of school psychologists serving as advocates for inclusive policies and practices (Crowley et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Day et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Poteat et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e). For example, Day et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e) emphasized that school psychologists should actively participate in implementing anti-bullying policies that explicitly address sexual orientation and gender identity. Similarly, Espelage et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) suggested that school psychologists play a key role in promoting peer-led interventions, such as Sources of Strength programs, to reduce sexual violence and harassment against LGBTQ students, particularly transgender youth.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn terms of bilingual school psychologists, one study (Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) explicitly emphasized the importance of language accessibility in supporting LGBTQ students. The research highlighted the critical role bilingual school psychologists play in engaging with non-English-speaking families and ensuring that students from diverse linguistic backgrounds have access to inclusive mental health and academic support. While this aspect was not commonly discussed across all studies, Chan and Suen (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) demonstrated that bilingual school psychologists are uniquely positioned to address cultural and linguistic barriers that may affect LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; experiences.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Discussion of Implications for Practice\",\"content\":\" \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec26\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWhile the current systematic review offers a comprehensive understanding of LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; experiences in school environments, it also exposed several gaps that need to be explored in future research. First, there is a need for more longitudinal studies that examine the long-term impacts of school policies and programs, such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), on the mental health and academic outcomes of LGBTQ students. Most reviewed studies utilized cross-sectional designs, limiting the ability to infer causality or examine the durability of interventions over time. Future research could address this gap by evaluating the sustained effects of inclusive policies and interventions beyond high school, particularly into college and early adulthood. Meanwhile, given the newly changed political policies, how can schools and their staff be better supported in sustaining programs that provide ongoing support especially for queer communities?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSecond, a significant gap exists in the literature on intersectionality within the LGBTQ student population. While some studies (e.g., Chan \\u0026amp; Suen, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e; Espelage et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) addressed the compounded risks faced by transgender students and those experiencing racial and linguistic marginalization, more research is needed to explore how various intersecting identities, such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability, influence LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; experiences. For example, how do the experiences of a transgender student of color differ from those of a white transgender student? Addressing these nuanced dynamics could inform the development of tailored interventions that account for multiple dimensions of identity.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThird, while this review highlights the importance of policies and interventions, the studies reviewed often lacked detailed information on the implementation and enforcement of these policies. For instance, the effectiveness of GSAs or anti-bullying policies may vary widely depending on factors such as staff training, school leadership, and community support, yet these contextual variables were seldom addressed in detail. Future research should focus on the implementation fidelity and contextual factors that influence the success of school-wide interventions.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eForth, additional research is warranted on the unique needs and experiences of bilingual LGBTQ students. While Chan and Suen (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e) highlighted the importance of bilingual school psychologists, there is limited empirical research on how language barriers and cultural differences influence the school experiences and mental health of LGBTQ students from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Future studies could explore the effectiveness of bilingual counseling and support services in reducing isolation and increasing access to resources for these students.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMoreover, few studies have focused on the role of digital spaces in shaping LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; experiences, particularly in the post-pandemic era where online learning and virtual interactions have become more prevalent. Research could investigate how cyberbullying, online GSAs, and virtual support groups impact LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; well-being and social connections.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec27\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eLimitations\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDespite its contributions, this systematic review has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, the study exclusively focused on articles published in school psychology journals, which may have excluded relevant research from other disciplines such as sociology, public health, or education. This limited scope might have overlooked diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches to addressing LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; experiences. Second, the reliance on quantitative and mixed-methods studies may have resulted in the exclusion of in-depth qualitative research that could provide richer narratives and insights into LGBTQ students\\u0026rsquo; lived experiences. While quantitative studies offer valuable statistical trends, qualitative research could uncover the emotional and social complexities of school environments for LGBTQ students. Lastly, the lack of studies on Queer students as a distinct subgroup limits our understanding of their specific needs and challenges. While the reviewed research often grouped LGBTQ students together, it is important to recognize that Queer students may face unique barriers due to the fluidity and nonconformity associated with their identities. Future research should explore how existing policies and interventions can be adapted to better serve Queer students.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec28\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eData availability statement\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eData available upon request.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Declarations\",\"content\":\"\\u003ch2\\u003eAuthor Contribution\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe first author is the main contributor and writer. The second author is supervisor and editor. This paper was reviewed by the third author and the forth author.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003eAcknowledgement\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eN.A\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003eData Availability\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eData available upon request.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"References\",\"content\":\"\\u003col\\u003e\\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAbreu, R. L., Black, W. W., Mosley, D. 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Changes to sexual identity response options in the youth risk behavior survey. \\u003cem\\u003eJAMA Pediatrics\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e178\\u003c/em\\u003e(5), 506\\u0026ndash;508. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.0024\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.0024\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003ePoteat, V. P., Marx, R. A., Richburg, A., Calzo, J. P., Bliss, C. C., Yoshikawa, H., \\u0026amp; Lipkin, A. (2025). 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Membership experiences in gender-sexuality alliances (GSAs) predict increased hope and attenuate the effects of victimization. \\u003cem\\u003eJournal of School Psychology\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e79\\u003c/em\\u003e, 16\\u0026ndash;30. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2020.02.001\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1016/j.jsp.2020.02.001\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eRivas-Koehl, M., Valido, A., Espelage, D. L., Robinson, L. E., Hong, J. S., Kuehl, T., Mintz, S., \\u0026amp; Wyman, P. A. (2022). 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School Bullying and Gender Minority Youth: Victimization Experiences and Perceived Prevalence. \\u003cem\\u003eSchool Psychology Review\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e53\\u003c/em\\u003e(6), 722\\u0026ndash;735. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.2002123\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1080/2372966X.2021.2002123\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eSnapp, S. D., Hoenig, J. M., Fields, A., \\u0026amp; Russell, S. T. (2015). Messy, butch, and queer: LGBTQ youth and the school-to-prison pipeline. \\u003cem\\u003eJournal of Adolescent Research\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e30\\u003c/em\\u003e(1), 57\\u0026ndash;82. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1177/0743558414557625\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1177/0743558414557625\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eSzalacha, L. A. (2003). Safer sexual diversity climates: Lessons learned from an evaluation of Massachusetts safe schools program for gay and lesbian students. \\u003cem\\u003eAmerican Journal of Education\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e110\\u003c/em\\u003e(1), 58\\u0026ndash;88. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1086/377673\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1086/377673\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eThe Trevor Project (2023). \\u003cem\\u003e2024 National survey on LGBTQ+ youth mental health\\u003c/em\\u003e. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024/\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024/\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eToomey, R. B., Ryan, C., Diaz, R. M., \\u0026amp; Russell, S. T. (2011). High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Young Adult Well-Being: An Examination of GSA Presence, Participation, and Perceived Effectiveness. \\u003cem\\u003eApplied developmental science\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e15\\u003c/em\\u003e(4), 175\\u0026ndash;185. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2011.607378\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1080/10888691.2011.607378\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eWernick, L. J., Espinoza-Kulick, A., Inglehart, M., Bolgatz, J., \\u0026amp; Dessel, A. B. (2021a). Influence of multicultural curriculum and role models on high school students\\u0026rsquo; willingness to intervene in anti-LGBTQ harassment. \\u003cem\\u003eChildren and Youth Services Review\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e129\\u003c/em\\u003e, 106211. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106211\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106211\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eWilliams, A. J., Jones, C., Arcelus, J., Townsend, E., Lazaridou, A., \\u0026amp; Michail, M. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of victimisation and mental health prevalence among LGBTQ+ young people with experiences of self-harm and suicide. \\u003cem\\u003ePLOS One\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e16\\u003c/em\\u003e(1), e0245268. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245268\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1371/journal.pone.0245268\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e\\u003c/ol\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Tables\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eTables are available in the Supplementary Files section.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"}],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":true,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":false,\"hideJournal\":true,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":false,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":false,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true},\"keywords\":\"LGBTQ students, school health, prevention, school psychology, intervention\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8970088/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8970088/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"\\u003ch2\\u003eIntroduction:\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eLGBTQ students continue to experience disproportionately high rates of victimization, discrimination, and mental health concerns within school settings. Although prior scholarship has documented these disparities, less is known about how recent school psychology research has characterized these experiences and informed prevention and intervention efforts.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003eMethods\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eA systematic search was conducted across Google Scholar, Taylor \\u0026amp; Francis Online, SAGE Journals, and APA PsycNet following PRISMA guidelines. Eight school psychology journals were included. Studies were eligible if they were peer-reviewed, published between 2019 and 2024 (extended through early 2025 publications identified during screening).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003eResults\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAcross 13 studies (total N\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;219,262), research primarily examined school climate, victimization, mental health outcomes, and protective factors such as Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and inclusive policies. Transgender students were identified as facing compounded risks, particularly in contexts lacking explicit policy protections. GSAs, inclusive anti-bullying policies, peer-led interventions, and staff training emerged as consistent protective factors. However, few studies addressed implementation fidelity, longitudinal outcomes, intersectionality, bilingual supports, or digital contexts.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003eConclusions\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eRecent school psychology research continues to document significant disparities in school safety and mental health outcomes for LGBTQ students while identifying school-based supports that promote belonging and resilience.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003ePolicy Implications:\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFindings support the development and enforcement of explicit anti-discrimination policies inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity, with particular attention to transgender-specific protections. Ongoing professional development for school personnel, structured support for GSAs, peer-led prevention programs, and expanded training for school psychologists including bilingual and culturally responsive competencies are essential.\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"LGBTQ Student Experiences in Schools From 2019–2025: A Systematic Review of Study Characteristics and Recommendations for Prevention and Intervention\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2026-04-10 18:30:02\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8970088/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"communityComments\",\"content\":0}],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"949fd099-478d-4bc6-9497-dfc3b20e624c\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"April 10th, 2026\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"posted\",\"subjectAreas\":[],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2026-04-10T18:30:03+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2026-04-10 18:30:02\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-8970088\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-8970088\",\"identity\":\"rs-8970088\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}