Date Approved
2025
Degree Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department or School
Leadership and Counseling
Committee Member
David Anderson, EdD
Committee Member
Ronald Williamson, EdD
Committee Member
Lynn Malinoff, EdD
Committee Member
Davis Clement, PhD
Abstract
Throughout history, lesbian, gay, Transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and agender plus Students have been marginalized in society and, in particular, K-12 schools. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of young adults and recent high school graduates to gather information about their experience in K-12 educational environments to determine if their developmental needs were met. This study focused on youth who attended K-12 schools in a specific district in Southeast Michigan and participated in out-of-school time programs at a local teen center. Through in-depth interviews with youth participants and focus groups with teen center staff and parents/guardians of LGBTQIAA+ young people, participants shared their experiences and perspectives on their experiences as part of and allies of LGBTQIAA+ communities. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach that included narrative stories, focus groups, and artifact analysis, the researcher analyzed the participants’ responses through the lens of the HighScope Educational Research center’s seven developmental needs for youth and adolescents and applied garbage can theory and complex adaptive systems theory to the interventions of the Center. Seven themes emerged from the analysis of the participants’ responses. Participants identified various aspects of the following themes: mental health struggles, safety, punishment, lack of opportunities for expression, lack of support, inequity, and belonging. Participants were passionate about the opportunities K-12 educational systems have to change the negative perceptions people may have about members of the LGBTQIAA+ community and how they can work to repair the harm that has been done and implement positive daily interactions with LGBTQIAA+ people within their school communities. The participants’ experiences were insightful and transparent. From their experiences, the researcher created a narrative highlighting their experiences and offering recommendations for organizations that serve marginalized teens and young adults.
Recommended Citation
Staley, Suzie, "Navigating uncertainty as an “Adolescent Organization”: Addressing the needs of LGBTQIAA+ young people in a complex and adaptive service organization" (2025). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 1290.
https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1290
