Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T18:50:06.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

School counsellors' responses to homosexuality and to lesbian and gay students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2016

Adriana Fallone  and
Daphne Hewson
Adriana Fallone
Affiliation:
District School Counsellor, NSW
Daphne Hewson*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University
*
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, phone (02) 9850 8019 fax, (02) 9850 8062, email Daphne.Hewson@mq.edu.au
Get access

Extract

NSW School Counsellors were surveyed regarding their attitudes towards homosexuality and their experience and willingness to work with gay and lesbian students. Most counsellors showed low to moderate homonegativism, but 16.6% scored in the high range. Less knowledge, experience, and past training on homosexuality issues were significantly related to homonegativism, as was unwillingness to participate in future activities and workshops dealing with lesbian and gay students' issues. Many counsellors had a poor knowledge of existing support services. Counsellors who were willing to provide supportive services for gay and lesbian students expressed a need for resources, information kits and curriculum material, inservice training, executive support and a positive Departmental policy.

Type
Professional Issues
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , November 1996 , pp. 31 - 42
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (1973). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSMIII). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.Google Scholar
Beckett, L. & Denborough, D. (1995). Homophobia and the sexual construction of schooling. Dulwich Centre Newsletter, (2/3), 109–121.Google Scholar
Browning, C., Reynolds, A.L. & Dworkin, S.H. (1991). Affirmatiave psychotherapy for lesbian women. Counseling Psychologist, 19, 177–188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buhrke, R.A. (1989). Incorporating lesbian and gay issues into counselor training: a resource guide. Journal of Counseling and Development, 68, 77–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cass, V. (1979). Homosexual identity formation: a theoretical model. Journal of Homosexuality, 4, 219–235.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cox, G. (1994). The count and counter report: a study into hate related violence against lesbians and gay. Sydney, Lesbian and Gay Anti-Violence Project.Google Scholar
Fassinger, R. (1991). The hidden minority: issues and challenges in working with lesbian women and gay men. Counseling Psychologist, 19, 157–166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fassinger, R. (1993). And gladly teach: lesbian and gay issues in education. In Diamant, L. (Ed.) Homosexual issues in the workplace. Washington, Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar
Garnets, L., Hancock, K.S., Cochran, S.D., Goodchilds, J. & Peplau, L.A. (1991). Issues in psychotherapy with lesbians & gay men. American Psychologist, 46, 964–973.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Griffin, J. (1994). The School Watch Report: A study into anti-lesbian and gay harassment and violence in Australian Schools. Sydney, Jones-Pritchard.Google Scholar
Herek, G.M. (1984). Beyond “homophobia”: a social psychological perspective on attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. Journal of Homosexuality, 10, 1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herek, G.M. (1995). Psychological heterosexism in the United States. In D'Augelli, A. & Patterson, C., (Eds.) Lesbian, gay and bisexual identities over the lifespan. New York, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Herek, G.M. & Berrill, K.T. (Eds.) (1992). Hate crimes: confronting violence against lesbian and gay men. California, Sage.Google Scholar
Hewson, D. (1993). Heterosexual dominance in the world of therapy. Dulwich Centre Newsletter, (2), 14–21.Google Scholar
Hudson, W.W. & Ricketts, W.A. (1980). A strategy for the measurement of homophobia. Journal of Homosexuality, 5, 357–371.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kitzinger, C. (1987). The social construction of lesbianism. London, Sage.Google Scholar
Kitzinger, C. (1995). Social constructionism: implications for lesbian and gay psychology. In D'Augelli, A.R. & Patterson, C.J. (Eds.) Lesbian, gay and bisexual identities over the lifespan. New York, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Kitzinger, C. & Perkins, R. (1993). Changing our minds: lesbian feminism and psychology. New York, New York University Press; London, Onlywomen.Google Scholar
Lesbian and Gay Anti-Violence Project (1992). The off our back report: a study into anti-lesbian violence. Sydney, Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby.Google Scholar
MacDonald, A.P., Huggins, J., Young, S. & Swanson, R.A. (1973). Attitudes towards homosexuality. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 40, 161–166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mason, G. (1993), Violence against lesbians and gay men. (Report No. 2). Canberra, Australian Institute of Criminology.Google Scholar
Morgan, K.S. & Brown, L.S. (1993). Lesbian career development. In Garnets, L.D. & Kimmel, D. (Eds.), Psychological perspectives on lesbian and gay male experiences. New York, Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
Morgan, K.S. & Nerison, R.M. (1993). Homosexuality and psychopolitics: an historical overview. Psychotherapy, 30, 133–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pellegrini, A. (1992). S(h)ifting the terms of hetero/sexism. In Blumenfeld, W.J. (Ed.) Homophobia: How we all pay the price. Boston, Beacon Press.Google Scholar
Price, J. (1982). High school students' attitudes toward homosexuality. Journal of School Health, 52, 469–474.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Remafedi, G (1987). Homosexual youth: a challenge to contemporary society. Journal American Medical Association, 258, 222–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Remafedi, G, Farrow, J.A. & Deisher, R.W. (1993). Risk factors for attempted suicide in gay and bisexual youth. In Garnets, L.D. & Kimmel, D. (Eds.), Psychological perspectives on lesbian and gay male experiences. New York, Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
Roth, S. (1985). Psychotherapy with lesbian couples: individual issues, socialization and the social context. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 11, 273–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rudolph, J. (1988). Counselors' attitudes toward homosexuality: a selective review of the literature. Journal of Counseling and Development, 67, 165–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Savin-Williams, R.C. (1995). Lesbian, gay male and bisexual adolescents. In In D‘Augelli, A. & Patterson, C., (Eds.) Lesbian, gay and bisexual identities over the lifespan. New York, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Sears, J.T. (1988) Attitudes, experiences and feelings of guidance counselors in working with homosexual students. Paper presented at the American Educational Rsearch Association Meeting, New Orleans. ERIC Doc. No. 296210.Google Scholar
Sears, J.T. (1992). Educators, homosexuality, and homosexual students: are personal feelings related to professional beliefs? Journal of Homosexuality, 22, (3/4), 29–79.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shannon, J.W. & Woods, W.J. (1991). Affirmative psychotherapy for gay men. Counseling Psychologist, 19, 197–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stein, E. (1990). Forms of desire: sexual orientation and the social constructionist controversy. New York, Routledge.Google Scholar
Telljohann, S. & Price, J.H. (1993). A qualitative examination of adolescent homosexuals' life experiences: ramifications for secondary school personnel. Journal of Homosexuality, 26, (1), 41–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Uribe, V & Harbeck, K.M. (1992). Addressing the needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth: the origins of PROJECT 10 and school based intervention. Journal of Homosexuality, 22, (3/4), 9–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van de Ven, P. (1994). Comparisons among homophobic reactions of undergraduates, high school students and young offenders. Journal of Sex Research, 31, 117–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar