Adjustment and Acceptance of Gender-Diverse Students and Its Impact on School Climate

Abstract

As guiding framework of  Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory, this research investigates how gender-diverse students adjust and are accepted, as well as how this affects the school atmosphere. In this regard, the study examines the adjustment and acceptance of gender-diverse students and its impact on school climate. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected from the identified gender-diverse students from four secondary schools of President Roxas Central District through a survey. In the level of adjustment of gender diverse students and school climate, it  shows that identity affirmation had a strongest correlation, indicating that teachers play a crucial role in validating students’ gender identities, however, a moderate correlation is suggesting that perceptions of school safety impact students’ well-being and social interactions and the relatively lower correlation with identity affirmation indicates that security measures alone may not be sufficient for encouraging  identity affirmation.          Findings on the level of acceptance of gender-diverse students and the school climate, the strongest correlation is peer relations indicating that peer relationships are one of the most influential factors in fostering acceptance of gender-diverse students, however, the weaker correlation with inclusive policies indicates that policies alone may not guarantee with the broader school community.