ERIC Number: EJ1475473
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0271-0560
EISSN: EISSN-1536-0741
Available Date: 2025-06-12
Distinct yet Overlapping Worlds: LGBQ and Gender Expansive Identities in Sense of Belonging Research on Undergraduate Students
Genevieve N. Weber1; Erik Malewski2; Katrina Alford3; Christina Turner4; Susan Rankin3
New Directions for Higher Education, n210 p55-65 2025
Anchored in intersectionality theory and minority stress theory, this study examined campus climate and sense of belonging for 77,997 undergraduates at 49 North American higher education institutions. This study was guided by three research questions: (Q1) What is the relationship between undergraduate students' sense of belonging outcomes and their sexual and gender identities, (Q2) For LGBQ and GE students, are there differences in sense of belonging for LGBQ students, GE students, and students with intersectional LGBQ and GE identities, and (Q3) Do the compounding effects of intersectional sexual and gender identities influence whether LGBTQ+ undergraduate students seriously consider leaving their college or university? Findings highlighted the sense of belonging and persistence related to LGBQ identities, gender expansive identities, and the intersection of both. Recommendations and best practices are discussed, including the role of sense of belonging ambassadors and core state strategies to increase sense of belonging and persistence.
Descriptors: College Environment, Undergraduate Students, Sense of Belonging, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Academic Persistence, Correlation, Student Characteristics
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, USA; 2Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia, USA; 3Rankin Climate, Howard, Pennsylvania, USA; 4Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA