Understanding supportive environments: sexual minority experiences with university and community

Shuler, Shay (2022) Understanding supportive environments: sexual minority experiences with university and community. Doctoral thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

Despite more than a decade of academic research and initiatives to improve SGM health and wellness in the United States, only modest improvements have been made for SGM young-adults, who still face significant disparities compared to their heterosexual peers. Universities are often thought of as liberal bastions, where diversity is valued and all students have a place, but the reality is, that university campuses are significantly impacted by the features of the surrounding community. Universities operate within a broader community, often influencing the amount and quality of SGM resources available on campus as well as feelings of support and inclusion. In Manuscript one, I describe the adaptation of the LGBTQ Supportive Environments Inventory (SEI) for SGM young adults by assessing the SGM-inclusiveness of four universities and the community surrounding each university. In Manuscript two, I qualitatively examine the experiences of 34 sexual/gender minority (SGM) young adults attending four universities in the state of Utah. In Manuscript three, using conditional process models (Hayes, 2017), I examined the associations between ambient community supportiveness, microaggressions, and depressive symptoms for 50 SGM collegians in Utah.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	health disparities; LGBTQ; Utah; Sexual/gender minority; University students; Inclusivity
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Health and Human Services > Health Sciences
Date Deposited:	07 Jun 2023 16:21
Last Modified:	07 Jun 2023 16:21
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/5973

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