Cultivating Positive LGBTQA Identities: An Intervention Study with College Students

A brief intervention exercise focusing on positive experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning young adults and their young adult allies (LGBTQA) was hypothesized to increase positive LGBTQA identity, collective self-esteem, and individual self-esteem. Participants (N = 52) completed pretest, listened to a presentation on positive LGBTQA identities, and wrote personal narratives related to their own positive identity experiences. They then completed posttest and one-month follow-up surveys. Findings indicated that scores on all three outcomes significantly increased between the pre- and posttest but returned to baseline levels when reassessed one month later. Future research should explore ways to enhance the long-term impact of exposure to positive identity interventions on LGBTQA well-being in the current heteronormative cultural environment.