Submission and Review Deadlines
* November 15, 2015: proposal submission deadline
* January 1, 2016: invitations extended to authors for full articles
* March 1, 2016: manuscript submission deadline
* May 1, 2016: reviews completed and manuscript returned for revisions
* June 1, 2016: final manuscript submission due
Co-Editors
* Nicholas C. Heck, PhD, Marquette University
* V. Paul Poteat, PhD, Boston College
* Carol S. Goodenow, PhD, Independent Consultant, Northborough, MA
Details
We are soliciting manuscripts for a special issue of Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity devoted to the topic of LGBTQ youth and schools.
The general focus will involve contributions that synthesize and extend the existing literature, showcase research utilizing cutting-edge methodologies, and highlight promising new areas for inquiry.
Contributions could include any of the following types of manuscripts: meta-analyses, population-based studies, longitudinal studies, cross-sectional/correlational studies, and mixed-method or purely qualitative studies.
In addition, we would welcome articles that outline new interventions, practices, and programs that relate to the topic of LGBTQ youth and schools.
Finally, we also welcome contributions that take an interdisciplinary or intersectional approach to the topic and have a wide array of implications for research, theory, practice, and policy.
Examples of Potential Topics
* Experiences of sexual and gender minority youth with attention to intersectionality (e.g., youth of color, youth with disabilities, immigrant populations, youth living in poverty)
* Academic outcomes, career aspirations
* School experiences of children of same-sex parents, as well as parent experiences
* Sexual and gender minority student athletes, sports context in general
* Discipline disparities (e.g., related to office referrals, detention, suspension, expulsion)
* Experiences of sexual or gender minority youth in private or religious-affiliated schools
* Specific needs of transgender and gender-variant youth
* Gay-straight alliances and similar school-based groups
* Systems-level factors and school climate associated with youth health and academic outcomes
* Trends in, predictors of, and outcomes related to bullying and harassment
* Results of pilot or full-scale school-based interventions and programs
* Experiences of sexual or gender minorities in elementary or middle school
* Heterosexual allies, or attitudes and behaviors among heterosexual students in general
* Legal and legislative issues pertaining to LGBTQ youth in schools
Types of Manuscripts
The special issue will include manuscripts using empirical research (quantitative and qualitative; correlational or experimental; single time-point or longitudinal), theoretical and conceptual articles, and in-depth meta-analyses of the research and literature.
Manuscripts will typically include standard articles (under 7,500 words) or brief reports (under 4,000 words).
Longer monograph-type articles (up to 12,000 words) may be considered, but such authors should inquire about the feasibility of such a submission early in the process before proceeding.
Detail on these types of manuscripts can be found on the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity web page<http://www.apa.org/pubs/
How to Submit Proposals
Manuscript proposals should be emailed<mailto:youthandschools
Proposals must include:
* Author(s) and affiliations
* Corresponding author’s name, email address, and phone number
* Type of contribution (standard article or brief report)
* An abstract of no more than 250 words succinctly describing the topic, methods, main findings, significance, and relevance to the special issue
Background
Over the past ten years, there has been a rapid increase in scholarship devoted to the topic of LGBTQ youth and schools.
These studies have highlighted encouraging advances in the school-based experiences for some sexual and gender minority youth, such as the growth of gay-straight alliances, passage of enumerated anti-bullying policies, the identification of school-based factors that promote resilience, and visibility of heterosexual allies, among others.
At the same time, other studies underscore continued instances of systemic discrimination and hostile climates, limited attention to academic outcomes, evidence of discipline disparities, and unique barriers faced by specific populations of sexual and gender minority youth (e.g., transgender youth, youth of color, youth with disabilities, youth living in poverty).
Given that schools are a primary social context for youth and one in which sexual and gender minority youth are both at risk for facing discrimination, but also one in which they could receive critical support and resources, we must give greater attention to this context and the experiences of sexual and gender minority youth in it.
About the Journal
Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, the official publication of APA Division 44 (Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues), is a scholarly journal dedicated to the dissemination of information in the field of sexual orientation and gender diversity. It is a primary outlet for research particularly as it impacts practice, education, public policy, and social action.