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Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Research Proposal:
Assessing the Risks & Service Needs of
Homeless LGBT Youth in Calgary Matthew Wengrowich
SOWK 693
University of Calgary

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Research Proposal:
Assessing the Risks & Service Needs of Homeless LGBT Youth in Calgary
Research Objectives
Among Calgarys homeless initiatives certain groups have been identified as needing
an increased focus. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) youth are one of
these groups. This research project will attempt to answer the following questions:
What are the specific risks facing homeless LGBT youth compared to their
heterosexual and cisgender counterparts within Calgary?
Based on the risks identified, what service needs should be prioritized for homeless
LGBT youth in Calgary?

Terminology
For the purpose of this research the following terms will be defined below:
LGBT: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. There are variations of this title used
in the literature. For this research, LGBT will be inclusive of any individual who does
not identify as 100% heterosexual or cisgender.
Cisgender: When a persons gender matches their sex assigned at birth.
Youth: For this research, youth will be defined as children ages 16 to 24 years old.
Homeless: Not having access to consistent stable housing for at least 7 days in the past
month.

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Purpose of Inquiry

Research on sexual minority youth shows that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender (LGBT) youths are over represented among the homeless youth population
(Ray, 2006, p. 1). Furthermore, homeless LGBT youth are at a higher risk for negative
outcomes than heterosexual homeless youth (Gattis, 2013, p. 38). The Calgary Homeless
Foundations Plan to End Youth Homelessness (2011, p. 14) states that, the diversity of
the at-risk and homeless population, particularly in ethnicity and sexual orientation, needs
to be appropriately addressed in program design and throughout service delivery. More
specifically, there must be critical attention to meet the needs of LGBQTT youth.
Research in other parts of Canada and the USA has provided invaluable background
information on homeless LGBT youth, but there is currently no research regarding
homeless LGBT youth in Calgary. Furthermore, the Calgary Homeless Foundation has
begun no meaningful work to address needs of LGBT youth even though they were
identified in the original Plan to End Youth Homelessness. The significance of having
local research regarding the disparities and needs of homeless LGBT youth in Calgary will
allow for the development of effective policy and targeted services to reduce negative
outcomes for this already marginalized community.

Background Information
Key highlights from an extensive literature review before designing this proposal
found that in the general population approximately 3.5% of people identify as LGBT (The
Williams Institute, 2011). In comparison, Gaetz (2004, p. 433) found that 29.6% of
homeless youth in Toronto identify as non-straight and 2.7% identified as transgender.

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This corresponds closely with studies done in the United States, published by the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force (Ray, 2006, p. 1), that estimate between 20% and 40% of
homeless youth identify as LGBT. Gattis (2013, p. 39) completed an ecological systems
comparison of homeless sexual minority youth living in Toronto that highlights significant
disparities for LGBT youth compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts.
Structured interviews were completed with 147 homeless youth and of those youth, 66
identified as sexual minorities and 81 as heterosexual. Gattis (2013, p. 43) found that low
satisfaction with family communication was a larger issue for the sexual minority youth.
Canadian statistics report that the leading causes for youth leaving home or for being
kicked out of the home is family conflict (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2006; Cull,
Platzer, Balloch, 2006). Abramovich (2008, p. 30) further categorized family conflict for
sexual minority youth as abuse and homophobia or transphobia, which includes being
kicked out of the home after coming out to family. The sexual minority youth in Gattis
(2013, p. 42-43) study were found to have significantly higher incidences of substance
abuse, mental health problems (including suicidal ideation), and sexually risky behaviour.
Another Canadian study found that the risk of suicide for LGB youth is 14 times higher
than their heterosexual peers. (Rainbow Health Ontario, 2013) Even more sobering is
research that has found that LGBT homeless youth commit suicide at higher rates (62%)
than heterosexual homeless youth (29%). (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2012).
Unfortunately the literature also shows that youth are often re-victimized upon
coming out in service provider settings. According to a report by the National Gay &
Lesbian Task Force (2006, p. 2): more than one-third of youth who are homeless or in the
care of social services experienced a violent physical assault when they came out, which

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can lead to youth leaving a shelter or foster home because they actually feel safer on the
streets.
Recognizing the disparities faced by LGBT youth across North America should
prompt social workers involved with youth homelessness to take a closer look at the
systems affecting LGBT youth in Calgary. For any interventions that may target this
population to be effective it will be necessary to base those interventions in research that
accurately portrays the local environment.

Previous Work & Community Consultation


Some fascinating work has begun to emerge on the local service needs of LGBT
Calgarians. While it lacks a youth focus, which is troubling considering the increased
vulnerability these young individuals face, it does help in providing a local context. In
2009, the Centre for Social Work Research & Development conducted a study titled
Exploring the service needs of the LGBT communities in Calgary. The study surveyed 230
LGBT individuals in the Calgary area about service needs, barriers and best practices.
(Ayala, Morales, Saunders, & Palagina, 2009). Of those surveyed, 78% identified peer
support groups as vital, 74% requested spaces to network and meet others in the LGBT
community, 68% asked for one on one peer support or mentorship, followed by 65%
requesting access to professional counselling or psychology. This research highlights
service gaps in the community, and found that one of the biggest gaps was a need for a
central LGBT hub or community centre (45%) and suggested that Calgary Outlink, an
LGBT support service in Calgary, may be well positioned to fill this need.

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Since the LGBT community has historically been marginalized and oppressed it
would be important to include community consultation on the scope, procedures, and
practices that would be used in the research. As noted in the research above (Ayala, et al,
2009), the primary LGBT community organization in the city is Calgary Outlink. Initial
consultation and ongoing input from this organization would be essential to developing
research that respects the current narratives within the community.

Hypothesis
Calgary has historically been a conservative stronghold governed by politicians who
are generally not supportive of LGBT citizens. This was highlighted in the recent debates
surrounding Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs) in schools. The conservative government
effectively tried to block LGBT students from forming GSAs (Bellefontaine, 2014) and
made no effort to hide their animosity towards these youth. Considering the hostile
environment and the general lack of LGBT services within Calgary, it is expected that
there will be significantly higher risks faced by homeless LGBT youth compared to
heterosexual/cisgender homeless youth.

Methods
This study will be similar to methods and measures used by Gattis (2013) in Toronto
where the youth answered questionnaires related to their micro, meso, and macro
experiences. Using these similar methods will allow for insight into regional variances in
outcomes and provide direction for future research regarding unique variables to Calgary.
Furthermore, it could show what is and what is not working in both cities.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
During recruitment and interviewing there will be a focus on using gay affirmative
practice (Crisp & McCave, 2007) when working with the LGBT youth. The researcher will
focus on the youths environment and level of acceptance; the strengths that gay youth
have such as self-determination, health over pathology, and challenging internalized
heterosexist messages; as well as being informed about the intricacies of gay culture. This
borrows from several social work principles including: person in environment, strengths
perspective, and cultural competency models.
The study will utilize a cross-sectional research design with structured face-to-face
interviews. The interviews will initially begin with a convenience sample of homeless
youth aged 16 to 24 years old followed by snowball recruiting. Human subject research
approval will be obtained from the ethics board of the University of Calgary.
Participant Selection
Potential subjects will be asked to participate in the study when accessing services
through youth homeless shelters or outreach programs. When meeting with youth a
member of the staff will explain that the study is exploring the experiences of homeless
youth. The questions will surround health and the specific needs of youth experiencing
homelessness. As in the Gattis (2013) study, the eligibility requirements will be for the
youth to be between ages 16 and 24 years and homeless for at least 7 days in the past
month. The staff will not ask about sexual orientation or gender identity to ensure that the
youth are not outed within the shelter. This ensures safety for the LGBT youth and
additionally interviewing heterosexual/cisgender youth will make it possible to highlight
disparities faced by LGBT youth in Calgary. The staff will assess eligibility and interest

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among the youth. If the young person is willing they will be referred to the principal
investigator. Written consent will be obtained before beginning the interviews and the
youth will be paid $20 for their time. Since previous research has shown that LGBT youth
may be less likely to use shelters (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2006, p. 2) the
principal investigator will ask youth who identify as LGBT to ask any other homeless
LGBT youth they know if they would be interested in doing the interviews. This snowball
recruiting will help encourage more representation of LGBT youth in the study.
Dependent Variables
Micro
Before beginning the questionnaires the youth will be asked two questions. The first
question will ask the youth, How would you describe your sexual identity? The second
question will ask the youth, How do you describe your gender identity? Any youth who
does not identify as completely heterosexual or cisgender will be included in the data for
LGBT youth. The Health Risk Survey (Kann, Anderson, Holtzman, Ross, Truman, Collins,
Kolbe, 1991) and the Homeless Youth Questionnaire (Johnson, Aschkenasy, Herbers,
Gillenwater, 1996) will be used to assess the risk facing the homeless youth in this study.
Previous research has found that the Health Risk Survey has adequate internal reliability
(Ashworth, DuRant, Newman, Gaillard, 1992; DiClemente, 1991). Together, both
questionnaires cover a wide variety of risks and health issues that homeless youth face.
This includes HIV/AIDS risk factors, drug/alcohol use, high-risk sexual behaviours, and if
the youth has ever needed to engage in survival sex.

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The Youth Self-Report (Achenbach, & Edelbrock,1982) is a standardized scale to
assess behaviors in children associated with a wide variety of different mental health
issues. It will be used along with the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Ward, Mendelson,
Mock, Erlbaugh, 1961) to assess the mental health of the youth partaking in the study. The
screener version of the ColumbiaSuicide Severity Rating Scale will be used to assess
suicide risk among the participants (Posner, Brown, Stanley, Brent, Yershova, Oquendo,
Currier, Melvin, Greenhill, Shen, & Mann, 2011).
Finally the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, 1998) will measure lifetime usage of: marijuana, cocaine,
hallucinogens, heroin, inhalants, alcohol, tobacco, and nonmedical use of prescription
drugs, including psychotherapeutics.
Meso
The family communication subscale of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion
Evaluation Scales (Gorall, Tiesel, & Olson, 2006) will be used to evaluate the
communication and quality of family relations among the youth in the study.
The Psychological Sense of School Membership (Goodenow, 1993) will measure
perceived belonging or psychological membership in the school environment.
Finally, measures developed by Gattis (2013) based on work previously done with
youths in foster care (Baker, Jodrey, Intagliata, & Straus, 1993; Stiffman, Dore,
Cunningham, & Earls, 1995) will be used to evaluate the quality of peer relations among

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the youth. It will look at both positive and negative peer behaviours such as using drugs,
running away from home, and saving money.
Macro
The Social Stigma Scale has been used to study the stigma associated with
homelessness among youth in Toronto and New York (Kidd, 2007). This tool will be used
to measure the perceived stigma experienced by youth who have become homeless.
The Sexual Orientation Discrimination Scale from Alcohol Use Disorder and
Associated Disabilities Schedule- IV (Ruan, Goldstein, Chou, Smith, Saha, Pickering,
Grant, 2008) will be used to measure experiences regarding issues such as discrimination
in health care, public places (streets, stores, restaurants), employment, school, courts, and
housing, by the police and through taunting and threats.
Data Analysis
Bivariate analyses will be conducted where the independent variables will be LGBT
homeless youth and heterosexual/cisgender homeless youth. The dependant variable will
be the rated responses from the standardized questionnaires. Each group or independent
variable will be measured for the correlation coefficient to the dependant variable. This
will be followed by a t-test measure where the null hypothesis, the heterosexual/cisgender
coefficient, will be compared to the coefficient of the LGBT youth. Once that data has
been analysed and the issues LGBT homeless youth face can be quantified then the
information will be compared to available services within Calgary. If no services exist,
then recommendations for services will be made. SPSS will be used for all data analysis.

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Ethical Concerns
Safeguards would need to be put in place to ensure youth are not outed within the
shelters. Staff would not ask about sexual orientation or gender identity, but will explain
that part of the research will ask questions about these topics.
Data collection regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of the youth would
be kept in a locked cabinet at a separate location where the primary investigator completes
the interviews. No data would be stored at the shelters or outreach locations. The
interviews will be transcribed without any identifying information. Instead, files will be
labeled as numbered subjects.
Due to the high risk of suicide within this population a suicide risk assessment would
need to be completed with all youth. If imminent suicide risk is present for the youth the
primary investigator would call 911 to have the youth assessed at a hospital. If there is no
imminent risk of suicide, but the youth struggles with suicidal ideation, then the primary
investigator will develop a safety agreement with the youth and ensure they are connected
to appropriate support services such as counselling.
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) has developed guidelines for best
practice when working with LGBT youth in care (Wilber, Ryan, & Marksamer, 2006).
These practices will need to be considered during the research process. The CWLA
references Ryan and Diaz (2005, p. 208) by noting that less accepting families take an
average of two years to start accepting their children again after they come out. If the
participant agrees and has a caseworker, then the researcher should forward effective

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interventions to the youths worker. These interventions would focus on increasing family
acceptance through education about supportive behaviours. Ultimately, this can result in
better health and mental health outcomes, including lower levels of homelessness. The
CWLA (p. 16-25) further recommends that this be coupled with intensive home-based
services as soon as possible following the youth coming out to their family. This may
include supportive counselling to provide guidance and connecting the family and youth
with LGBT service organizations in the community. The CWLA also notes that if the child
is already out of the home then the worker, while using the above techniques, must also
focus on family reunification and simultaneously assess child safety through traditional
means. Jacobs and Freundlich (2006, p. 314) state that if this cannot be done then agencies
must focus on having unique plans in place to support permanent placements for LGBT
youth since many families show a reluctance to adopt or foster sexual minorities.

Dissemination
A final public report would be disseminated to service providers who work within
the homeless sector, Calgary Outlink, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, and within the
Social Work Faculty at the University of Calgary.
Findings would also be submitted to several reputable peer-reviewed journals within
the fields of social work, psychology, and queer theory. The findings would then be
submitted to the Alberta College of Social Workers for presentation at the annual
conference.

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A focus would also be paid to ensuring that the information makes its way to policy
makers within the provincial and local government to encourage actual structural change.
The researcher Abramovich (2012) summed it up nicely in the following quote.
Without the proper services in place, LGBTQ youth who are homeless may be on the
streets for longer and have a harder time getting off of the streets than their heterosexual
counterparts. Further research in this field will expand our understanding and help fill
large gaps in knowledge in the area of LGBTQ youth homelessness. An increase in
knowledge in the area of LGBTQ homeless youth will help create much needed policy
recommendations and best practice guidelines, so that we could shift to a more accepting
and supportive country for LGBTQ youth. (p. 48)

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