LGBTQ+-affirmative educational practices: scale development and psychometric evaluation in Chinese school contexts

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other gender and sexuality diverse (LGBTQ+) students encounter hostile school environments characterised by discrimination, exclusion, and victimisation. Teachers are central to fostering inclusive school climates, yet few validated instruments exist to assess their engagement in promoting LGBTQ+ affirmation in schools. This study developed and validated the LGBTQ+-Affirmative Educational Practices Scale. A total of 305 secondary school teachers in China participated in it. An initial set of items was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, resulting in an 8-item scale with two factors. Instructional and environmental inclusion captures structured and visible efforts to support LGBTQ+ students, while interpersonal affirmation reflects responsive and relational practices within classroom interactions. The two factors demonstrated strong internal consistency. Construct validity was supported by significant negative correlations with attitudes towards gay men. The results also showed that teachers with greater contact with sexuality and gender minority individuals, more exposure to LGBTQ+ media, and more positive perceptions of student attitudes towards sexuality and gender diversity scored higher on affirmative educational practices. The scale is a psychometrically sound instrument that reliably and validly measures the frequency of LGBTQ+-affirmative education practices in Chinese school settings.