Sexual and Gender Minority Research in School Psychology: A Scoping Review

The field of school psychology (SP) has long recognized the impact of school climate and increased stressors experienced by sexual and gender minority (SGM) students that contribute to mental health and academic disparities. However, as research continues to document high levels of anti-SGM discrimination and victimization in schools, it is imperative that the field of SP reflect on its own research legacy to critically guide future work to meet student needs. Thus, this scoping review aims to provide the first comprehensive examination of SGM-focused research published both within SP connected journals and by tenure-track faculty in NASP/APA accredited SP programs. Eleven SP connected journals and the scholarship of 725 SP faculty were searched using keywords connected to SGM identity, resulting in 191 included studies. Results indicated that SP faculty frequently published SGM scholarship outside of SP journals and that most studies were quantitative, focused on high school students, utilized a binary definition of gender, and focused on disparities in discrimination, victimization, and mental well-being in SGM populations. Findings highlight the need for future research to examine actionable steps to address these disparities and focus on intersectionality within SGM populations while working to engage in more inclusive and diverse research practices.