Supporting Safe and Healthy Schools: a National Survey of School Counselors, Psychologists

Supporting Safe and Healthy Schools: A National Survey of School Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers

Thank you in advance for participating in our study, Supporting Safe and Healthy Schools: A National Survey of School Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA), and Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) are collaborating on this study to learn more about the perspectives of secondary school health and mental health professionals (counselors, psychologists, and social workers) who play a key role in the academic success, safety, and well-being of our nation’s youth, especially those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT). The results from this survey will not only help us understand more about school-based health and mental health services for LGBT students, but also to understand how we can foster safe and healthy learning environments for all youth.
What this survey is about. The survey contains questions about your experiences as a school counselor, psychologist or social worker, your perspectives on working with LGBT students in U.S. secondary schools (grades 6-12), and other issues related to school safety and climate for all youth. The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete.

There are no direct benefits from participation. Although you will receive no direct benefit from participating in this study, you may feel some satisfaction from providing important information related to your profession and helping our efforts to create safer learning environments for students.
Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. You do not have to take the survey. If you choose not to take the survey, there will not be any penalties or negative consequences for not participating. You can stop taking the survey at any time. In addition, we anticipate that your participation in the survey will not expose you to any risk.

The survey is completely anonymous. We do not ask for your name (and please do not put it anywhere on the survey). Your email address will not be linked to your survey responses, and we will not know whether or not you decide to participate in this survey. Because the survey is anonymous, we hope that you will be comfortable being completely honest when answering our questions. Information collected from this survey will be password protected on computers accessible only to research staff. Upon completion of the study, any publications or presentations related to the study will be reported in the aggregate.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact:
Dr. Joseph Kosciw
Senior Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives
646-388-8050

For questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact Peggy Clements, the Chair of GLSEN’s Research Ethics Review Committee:
Peggy Clements, Ph.D.

The above contact information is also included at the end of this questionnaire for you to print and keep for your records.

Thank you for participating in our survey!

1) Before you begin, we want to be sure that you have read and understand the previous information about the survey. Once you have done so, please indicate whether or not you want to participate in this survey.
 Yes, I have read and understand the information and want to participate in the survey.
 No, I do not want to participate in the survey. [EXIT SURVEY]
______
The following are some general questions about your work and will help determine how you should proceed with the survey
2) Which of the following best describes your current occupation?
 School counselor
 School psychologist
 School social worker
 I do not currently work with students
 Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify ______

3) In what state is your school located?
 Alabama
 Alaska [etc., drop down menu]

4) In what grades are the students that you work with? Please check all that apply.
 K-5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10
 11
 12
[SHOW TEXT IF DOES NOT MEET INCLUSION CRITERIA AND EXIT]

Thank you for taking the time to participate in our survey. This studyspecifically examines the experiences of school counselors,psychologists, andsocial workerswho are currently working with students above the 5th grade level in U.S. schools. Because your responses do not meet all of these criteria, we unfortunately cannot ask you to take the survey at this time.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact:
Dr. Joseph Kosciw
Senior Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives
646-388-8050 or.
For questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact Peggy Clements, the Chair of GLSEN’s Research Ethics Review Committee:
Peggy Clements, Ph.D.
917-723-8285 or mailto:
If you are interested in learning more about the organizations involved in this research project, please visit us at our websites:
American School Counselor Association
Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network
National Association of School Psychologists
School Social Work Association of America

[EXIT SURVEY]

5) Do you workwith students frommore than one school?
 Yes [SHOW TEXT SNIPPET BELOW]
 No [SKIP TO SECTION A]
[IF WORKS IN MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL]
You indicated that youwork at more than one school. When answering questions in the survey, please think about the school where you spend most of your time. If you spend an equal amount of time at different schools, please choose one to focus on for this survey.
SECTION A: SCHOOL CLIMATE

Please choose the answers that best describe the experiences of students at the school where you work.
6) How serious of a problem are the following issuesfor students at your school?

7) At your school, how often are students bullied, called names, or harassed for the following reasons?

8) Why are students bullied, called names, or harassed most often at your school? (Select one)
 Because of their race/ethnicity or because people think they are of a certain race/ethnicity
 Because of a disability or because people think they have a disability
 Because of the way they look or their body size
 Because of their academic performance
 Because they are or people think they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual
Because of how traditionally masculine or feminine they are
9) How safe do you think the following students would feel at your school?

10) At your school, how often do you hear students make the following types of remarks?

11) At your school, how often do you hearschool staffmake the following types of remarks?

______

Section B: Professional Development
The following series of questions ask about your pre-service training (i.e., undergraduate or graduate education) and ongoing professional development (i.e., in-service or "on-the-job" training) related to your work with students and LGBT youth. Please choose the answers that best describe your education and training experiences.

12) Please indicate how much your pre-service professionaleducation(i.e., graduate coursework and practicum)covered the following topics?

13) How frequently have you engaged in, if ever, the following professional development activities that specifically address working with LGBT youth in schools?

14) In general, how would you rate the professional development that you received on LGBT-related issues?

15) How helpful would the following be in your efforts as school health and mental health professional to improve the safety and well-being of LGBT students?

______

Section C: Your Work with LGBT Youth

The next set of questions ask about your perceptions related to your work with LGBT youth.
16) How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

17) Please indicate how much you agree with the following statement: I am confident in my ability to...

______

SectionD : Work Experiences with LGBT Students
The next part of the survey asks about your work with LGBT students. We are interested in your views regardless of whether or not you have worked with LGBT students or students perceived to be LGBT at your school.

18) Have you engaged in efforts specifically designed to promote the safety and well-being of LGBT students in your school?
 Yes
 No
19) How effective do you feel your efforts have been to improve the school experiences of LGBT students?
 Not at all effective
 Somewhat ineffective
 Neither
 Somewhat effective
 Very effective
20) Based on your experiences as a school health or mental health professional, how supportive would the following members of the school community be of LGBT students or efforts to improve the school climate for LGBT students?

21) What barriers, if any, have you encountered or perceived in your efforts to promote the safety and well-being of LGBT students? Please select all that apply.
 Lack of material resources
 Lack of time
 Restrictive policies or procedures
 It is not part of my job description/role
 Limits of confidentiality
 Objections by parents
 Objections by students
 Objections by school administration
 Objections by school board
 Objections by other community members (e.g., clergy, leaders)
 Institutional culture (heterosexism, homophobia, transphobia)
 Objections by other school staff
 Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify ______

22) Are there any additional issues that you think it is important for us to know about related to your efforts to address the school experiences of LGBT students?

______

23) Please indicate how involved you are in the following work-related activities with or on behalf of LGBT students during the academic year.

24) On average, how many different LGB students do you meet with on an individual basis during the school year?
______students

25) On average, how many differenttransgenderstudents do you meet with on an individual basis during the school year?
______students

26) Are you aware of a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) or other similar student support group for LGBT students in your school?
 Yes
 No
 Not sure
27) Have you started or advised a GSA or similar group for LGBT students in your school?
 Yes
 No
28) Do you currently display any type of visual sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people/ students in your office or area where you meet with students? (e.g. Safe Space poster, gay pride sticker)
 Yes
 No