2015 Association for Women in Psychology Conference

Growing concern for the academic, social, and psychological well-being of bisexual youth has provoked a great deal of inquiry and assessment. In comparison to other sexual minority youth, bisexual youth are confronted with a unique set of challenges and stigmas in response to their sexuality. Additionally, it has been reported that they are less likely to participate in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) organizations and spaces, such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs, Andre et al., 2014). However, researchers have concluded that GSA’s and similar LGBTQ spaces play a beneficial role in the development and well-being of LGBTQ youth, likely because of the supportive adults advising student groups (Heck, Flentje, & Cohcran, 2013; Kosciw et al., 2013). The purpose of the present study is to investigate how individuals who participated in a GSA during their adolescence report retrospectively on their self-esteem, identity development, and coming out experiences as youth, in addition to whether they continue their involvement in queer spaces and activism as young adults. Data will be drawn from interviews with young adults (ages 18-24), who identify as bisexual, queer, or pansexual, in order to collect a retrospective account of their involvement in GSAs or a similar organization as adolescents. Those who did not participate in such spaces will also be included as our control group. A second goal of this study is to capture participants’ narratives around stigmatization and stereotyping as youth, with an emphasis on how their experiences might have differed from their sexual minority counterparts (gay and lesbian youth). Analyses of the narratives, in turn, provide a rich account of the lived experiences of bisexual young adults and their relationship to queer spaces such as GSAs and their lesbian and gay peers.

In this talk, I argue that, contrary to some arguments, rape resistance is not mutually exclusive or contradictory to other forms of prevention of rape, including bystander intervention and should be part of a restorative justice approach. While community responsibility is important, this does not and should not be artificially set up as opposed to individual empowerment (see Gavey, 2007). Feminist self-defense in particular has been shown to help women to not only avoid rape but to have better self-efficacy and psychological functioning (see Brecklin, 2008; Gidycz & Dardis, 2013 for reviews). While longitudinal studies are needed, funding is lacking in this area of research, which has been true for years, despite some evidence that self-defense is linked to a better ability to effectively resist subsequent assaults (Brecklin & Ullman, 2005). In an ecological model of prevention and response to sexual assault, many strategies and tools are needed to help us respond to sexual assault in terms of risk, recovery, and prevention. What the elements of a holistic strategy may be up for discussion, but should be based on empirical research. This presentation articulates some of the reasons for including rape resistance as one piece of secondary prevention efforts, which is still critically important in a world where sexual assault continues at high rates. The important role of addressing diversity including: race, class, sexual orientation, and disability are also discussed in broadening the paradigm for feminist research, prevention, and clinical practice in this area.

Weight-related stigma and discrimination is extremely prevalent in the United States, most commonly reported by young adults and women. The Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) suggests that following weight-related stigma, people often devalue their social identity. Individuals may be stigmatized by peers, family members, coworkers, strangers, doctors and other health care providers. Research indicates that exposure to weight stigma results in stress, avoidance of physical activity, binge eating, obesity, emotional eating and weight loss. It is possible that claims of weight loss actually measure dietary restraint in those stigmatized. As such, it is likely that those who rely on maladaptive methods of weight control (i.e. dietary restraint), have not accessed proper nutritional information; therefore cannot properly implement a balanced diet into their lives. Furthermore, individuals who binge eat, emotionally eat or actively restrain report performing these behaviors in solitude, as well as higher levels of loneliness. It is evident that prevention programs must be designed to rebuild society to reduce weight-related stigma prevalence and potential negative outcomes. As a preliminary investigation to address disordered eating risk factors that follow weight-based stigma, a cross sectional analysis is in process, in which stress, social isolation and nutritional knowledge are the mediating (intervening) variables. Undergraduate women (N=200-250, ages 18-30) from Utah State University are included in the study. Following the analysis review, I discuss an engaging prevention program that incorporates weight stigma reduction advocacy, with respect to the mediating variables. The program will be specifically designed to target incoming college students. The intervention will help rebuild university culture and assist students in developing close connections with peers to prevent social isolation. Students will also learn strategies to cope with stress and how to successfully implement nutrition education. The program aims to prevent disordered eating behaviors in response to weight-based stigma among college students.

We will present on the benefit of implementing a female empowerment group within the context of a juvenile correctional facility. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP, 2010), the number of incarcerated juveniles has been on an incline from 2000 to 2010. More specifically, the number of incarcerated girls has increased faster than the number of incarcerated boys. Though girls make up less than 7% of the inmate population in Ohio’s Department of Youth Services correctional facilities, 94% of the girls in the correctional facilities are on the mental health caseload compared to 47% of boys leading to the need for more gender-specific programs aimed at addressing socio-emotional and psychological concerns and reducing the rate of recidivism for girls (Ohio DYS, 2012). The relationship between a local juvenile corrections facility and Wright State University’s School of Professional Psychology created the opportunity for clinical practicum for students. Through working with the youth, a need was identified to address the socio-emotional and psychological concerns of the girls including self-efficacy and empowerment. Based on a literature review, the “Girls Only” Toolkit from The Boys & Girls Club of San Diego was chosen and adapted to meet the needs of the forensic population. The group was designed to help the girls recognize, value, and use their abilities to understand environmental influences, self-nurture, and make pro-social changes in themselves and the world to avoid further involvement with the juvenile justice system. Each month, outcome measures were used to inform effectiveness and potential continued use of the group. This presentation will focus on increasing participants’ knowledge of implementing the empowerment group in a juvenile corrections facility and the benefits of such treatment services.