Gender-sexuality alliance membership and activities: associations with students' comfort, confidence and awareness regarding substance use resources.

ABSTRACT: Belonging to a school Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is associated with lower substance use among LGBTQ+ youth. However, it is unknown whether GSA participation facilitates access to resources for substance use concerns. Using longitudinal data from 38 Massachusetts high schools, we compared sources of support for substance use concerns listed by GSA members (n = 361) and nonmembers (n = 1539). Subsequently, we tested whether GSA membership was associated with comfort, confidence and awareness regarding substance use resources in school and the community. Finally, we assessed whether specific GSA activities and discussions (e.g. social support) were associated with these outcomes. Among students with recent substance use, GSA membership was associated with greater comfort, confidence

SUBMITTER: Murchison GR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8487662 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature