CHAPTER I

Introduction
Bullying affects the majority of young people in today's culture. It is a particularly
pressing issue for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) youngsters since
they are targeted more frequently and with more severity. Rainbow Rights (RRights) found
that  Philippine Anti-Discrmination Alliance of Youth Leaders (PANTAY) provide crucial
benefits for LGBTQ youth such as a safer atmosphere, a sense of belonging, and access to
allies (2007). In the majority of the country's schools, LGBTQ students do not have an official,
clearly defined safe zone. Though data is scarce, it is evident that such organizations are
necessary and useful for LGBTQ adolescents.
This research looked at how the existence of guidance offices on high school
campuses affects bullying and the general school atmosphere.The research was conducted
to investigate the perspectives of teachers and staff at one school, Granja Kalinawan
National High School (GKNHS) in Jaro, Leyte, by posing the question: What are the faculty
and staff's opinions of the Guidance Counselor's influence on bullying and school
environment at GKNHS? There are several gaps in the extant research and literature on
LGBTQ kids, LGBTQ bullying, and Guidance Counselor. This study seeks to directly address
the need for a better understanding of whether guidance offices are considered to have an
influence on bullying and school environment, if they are effective, and how to more
effectively use them.
Granja kalinawan national high school has always had a guidance counselor's office.
Prior to this study, however, the influence or impression of Guidance Counselors at GKNHS
had not been investigated. The school believed that examining the impact, particularly how
the Guidance Counselor's Office might give crucial information and insight into the present
state of affairs on campus, was essential.
The quantitative study included 150 teachers, nurses, staff, and school
administration as participants. This study's ultimate sample size was 72 GKNHS teachers and
staff members. To consider the perceptions of one school community at one point in time, a
cross-sectional design was chosen. The physical survey was used for three reasons: time and
cost effectiveness, geographic flexibility (the research was done at Granja Kalinawan
National High School), and secrecy, which is critical given the subject matter. Overall, the
majority of respondents in this survey supported the Guidance Counselor's Office at GKNHS.
Many respondents, however, expressed uncertainty about whether LGBTQ bullying occurs at
GKNHS. Despite this ambiguity, the majority of respondents felt that further training is
required. However, the majority of respondents agreed that LGBTQ concerns should not be
treated as a separate issue, but rather should be incorporated in talks, trainings, and
interventions with an overall tolerance focus.
The study's results may be valuable to the LGBTQ community, LGBTQ youth families,
school administrations, instructors, and assisting professionals and organizations. It will be
beneficial for the administration, Guidance Counsellor's Office, and school social worker at
GKNHS to be aware of the respondents' views and beliefs. The outcomes of this study may
be utilized to create awareness and tolerance trainings for staff, teachers, and students
equally. The goal of this research study was to provide an in-depth look at how the faculty
and staff at one school perceive the effects of having a Guidance Counsellor's Office on
campus. The following chapter provides a review of the existing literature regarding LGBTQ
youth, LGBTQ bullying, and the Guidance Counsellor's Office.
 CHAPTER II
Review of Related Literature

This chapter is divided into three sections: LGBTQ Youth, LGBTQ Bullying, and Gay
Straight Alliances. The first segment examines the LGBTQ adolescent population as well as
the specific risk and protective variables. Following that, it focuses on the harassment,
discrimination, and unpleasant experiences that LGBTQ kids frequently suffer during their
high school years. Finally, the literature study examines the Guidance Counselor's Office and
its effects.
LGBTQ Youth
LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning) people are
sexual minorities because their sexual practices, orientations, or identities differ from those
of the majority of society. According to Gary Gates (2011), the Williams distinguished scholar
at the UCLA School of Legal, a sexual orientation law and public policy think tank, around 9
million (3.8%) Americans identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. "Estimates of the
number of homosexual, lesbian, and bisexual youth in the United States range from just over
1% to just under 9%, with the best estimates putting the figure closer to 5% to 6% of the
entire population" (Human Rights Watch Report, 2001, p. 24).
LGBTQ adolescents are deemed a "vulnerable" demographic since they are nurtured
in a homophobic and heterosexist culture (Rotheram-Borus & Fernandez, 1995). Miceli
(2005) states: Negative attitudes to LGBT[Q] persons are shaped and justified by social and
cultural notions of sexual identity that stigmatize and characterize homosexuality as
unnatural and deviant. Importantly, these same concepts serve as the foundation for
LGBT[Q] persons to understand and identify themselves (p. 46).
LGBTQ youth understand early that “being anything but heterosexual places them at risk for
victimization and humiliation. In fact, it appears that being anything but heterosexual equals
something bad as early as elementary school” (Espelage & Swearer, 2008, p. 158).
Although LGBTQ kids are recognized to be at risk, research on this community is
scarce. According to Tharinger and Wells (2000), there is a scarcity of information available
due to several factors, including: it is difficult to find LGBTQ youth willing to be "out" for
research purposes, it can be difficult to obtain parental permission to conduct research, and
institutionalized heterosexism has prevented researchers from expanding the knowledge
base of LGBTQ studies. Furthermore, there is little information available in schools on what
it means to identify as a sexual minority. Unfortunately, there is even less research available
on the coping techniques that LGBTQ kids acquire in order to deal with the numerous
obstacles that they face in school (Durby, 1994; Rivers & D'Augelli, 2001; Lasser & Tharinger,
2003). According to the 2001 Human Rights Watch Report: The systematic failure of the
public school system in the United States to protect [LGBTQ] students means that they are
left to choose between struggling in isolation to survive the harassment as they seek an
education or escaping the hostile environment by dropping out of school. The burden these
students bear is exacerbated in many cases by the rejection of their families, condemnation
within their communities, being demonized by individual teachers and administrators, and
rejection by members of the adult [LGBTQ] communities who are too scared of being
identified themselves to offer support to gay youth (p. 3).
Furthermore, existing research, according to Smith and Gray (2009), tends to portray LGBTQ
communities via a deficit-based lens rather than a strengths-based lens. In other words,
there are substantial challenges inside the subject that cause research to halt. According to
Horn, Kosciw, and Russell (2009), "we will never have a strong knowledge of the frequency
and correlates of risk and protective variables among LGBT[Q] kids until inquiries concerning
sexual orientation and gender identity are common in studies of adolescents" (p. 865).
 Though data is limited, there is some research on the risk and protective factors
influencing the lives of LGBTQ youth. However, there are more risk variables to report than
protective factors. This section will look at the effects of isolation. Isolation is a risk factor in
the lives of a large number of LGBTQ youth. "LGBT kids are seldom represented in the school
curriculum, they are at a heightened risk of verbal and physical assault, and they are
excluded from mandatory heterosexual social events (e.g., the prom)" (Lee, 2002, p. 2).
Living in a society that does not promote a good image of LGBTQ adolescents can lead to the
formation of erroneous and negative self-images. Further, small changes can make big
differences for LGBTQ youth as described in the following testimonial: If someone would
have been ‘out’ at my school, if the teachers wouldn’t have been afraid to stop the fag and
dyke jokes, if my human sexuality class have even mentioned homosexuality, if the school
counselors would have been open to discussion of gay and lesbian issue, perhaps I wouldn’t
have grown up hating what I was and perhaps I wouldn’t have attempted suicide (Ryan &
Futterman, 1998, p. 59).
Validation and acceptance are essential sensations for all pupils to have throughout their
early lives. "A simple recognition of an LGBTQ historical character or tale in any aspect of the
curriculum can have a beneficial influence" on LGBTQ adolescents (Shores, 2007, p. 28).
However, only a tiny fraction (13.4%) of adolescents in the United States are taught using
such an inclusive curriculum (GLSEN, 2009).
LGBTQ youth are not only isolated by the curriculum, but they are also socially
excluded by their families and peer groups because they are perceived as "others."
According to Williams, Connolly, Pepler, and Craig (2005), LGBTQ youth "indicated
significantly less closeness with their mothers and less companionship with their best friends
than heterosexual youths" (p. 480). According to Tartagni (1978), the isolated LGBTQ
student is one of the most lonely persons in any high school in the United States. LGBTQ kids
typically express social and emotional isolation (Dietz, 1997; Jacobs, 1996). Telljohan and
Price (1993) discovered that almost one-third of the LGBTQ teenagers interviewed described
a negative familial reaction to their sexuality in their study. Whether the isolation is caused
by LGBTQ youth distancing themselves or by social discrimination, it can be detrimental to
their emotional health (Miceli, 2005). Such intense isolation, if not resolved, can lead to a
lifetime of issues such as depression, self-hatred, and anxiety among others (D’Augelli, 2002;
Hetrick & Martin, 1987).
This constant stress and isolation among LGBTQ adolescents can result in emotional
difficulties, including suicide thoughts and attempts. According to Eliason (2011), "the overall
results of population-based and convenience sample research consistently reveal sexual and
gender minority persons to be at greater risk for mental health and suicide-related
behaviors" (p. 5). "LGBT[Q] kids had considerably higher depression symptomatology
scores." They were also more likely to report suicidal ideation (30% vs. 6%) and self-harm
(21% vs. 6%) than heterosexual, non-transgendered youth." According to Smith and Drake
(2001), LGBTQ kids are "2 to 14 times more likely" to attempt suicide (p. 155). D'Augelli
(2002) estimates that "more than one-third of LGB teenagers have attempted suicide." Haas,
Eliason, Mays, Mathy, Cochran, D'Augelli, and Clayton (2011) found 19 research that linked
suicidal behavior among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents to bullying at school.
These findings and figures show that there is an urgent need for research and support
services to prevent incidences of mental health concerns and suicide among LGBTQ
adolescents.
Adolescence may be especially difficult for LGBTQ kids due to a heterosexist culture,
homophobic and/or abusive school settings, and unsupportive family. According to
Winnicott, healthy development requires a good adequate caregiver who is sufficiently
sensitive to the child's requirements, according to object relations theory (Flanagan, 2008).
Though healthy development and attachment patterns may have developed early in life,
they are frequently painfully disrupted for LGBTQ teens once they are "out." As they grow,
LGBTQ youth realize they are different from those who society accepts without hesitation.
This awareness frequently leads to feelings of identity conflict. LGBTQ kids have "special
obstacles [in terms of] identity development, societal acceptability, and survival" through no
fault of their own (Ryan & Futterman, 1998, p. 4). According to research, LGBTQ kids are
more likely to experience victimization, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts,
dropping out of school, homelessness, and drug use and abuse (D'Augelli, 2002; Faulkner &
Cranston, 1998; Russell, Driscoll, & Truong, 2002; Russell, 2003).
Despite the multiple risk factors confronting LGBTQ adolescents, research has
revealed that several protective factors are also at work. Religion has been shown to serve a
protective influence in the lives of teenagers (Smith & Lundquist Denton, 2005). Faith and
religion, on the other hand, can be "complicated [for LGBTQ youth] by the fact that many
religions condemn nonheterosexual sexual orientations as unnatural and
sinful."Furthermore, LGBTQ kids recognized the following elements as advantages in a
research using a relational assets approach: family readiness to address LGBTQ matters,
Guidance Counselor’s Office , and LGBTQ school teachers (Sadowski, Chow, & Scanlon,
2009). According to relational theory, the ability to make connections through relationships
is the bedrock of healthy human growth. "There is a strong need to maintain an abiding
sense of oneself as affiliated with, positioned in relation to, and tied to a matrix of other
individuals" (Aron, 1991, p. 33). In other words, establishing settings where LGBTQ youth
may feel comfortable and connected to a community (such as PANTAY) may aid in the
healthy development of those teens. This research project is motivated and demanded by
the need for more understanding about LGBTQ adolescent development as well as the need
to strengthen support mechanisms for kids in schools.

LGBTQ Bullying
Bullying is a big problem in today's culture since it affects the majority of young
people. Bullying is a particularly sensitive problem for LGBTQ adolescents since it is more
common and frequently more intense. Marino (1995) found that LGBTQ teens were the
most susceptible and prone to face discrimination and bullying when she examined the
whole LGBTQ population. However, much conventional literature fails to take into account
the realities of LGBTQ adolescents (Horn et al., 2009, p. 865). Adults' homophobic
sentiments are among the last utterable biases. Many adults continue to accept and
participate in denigration of LGBT[Q] people, notwithstanding the certainty of religious
conviction or state regulation. Their actions serve as negative role models for young people
and, at the very least, implicit encouragement to punish nonnormative gender behaviors
among peers. Heterosexism and the attendant harassment influence the lives of LGBTQ
adolescents everyday, particularly those youth who choose to be “out.” Society, generally,
and school communities in particular, frequently do not understand, recognise, or
appreciate LGBTQ students and their experiences. This lack of respect and understanding,
especially in schools, frequently leads to discrimination and bullying.
The majority of teenagers devote the majority of their time to education. As a result,
school should be a safe haven for all pupils. School, on the other hand, may be harmful and
detrimental for LGBTQ adolescents. "At-school victimization has been proven to
disproportionately affect LGBT[Q] kids."
decreased feelings of school belonging, feeling unsafe at school, worse academic
achievement, increased drug use, and increased depression symptoms" (Heck, Flentje, &
Cochran, 2011, p.163). "Survival mode" describes the daily realities of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender students. Unsurprisingly, they lose concentration, their grades suffer, some
quit out, and a few commit themselves" (Human Rights Watch, 2001, p. 174).
 Since 1999, GLSEN has performed a national poll every other year to investigate this
phenomena. In 2005, GLSEN discovered that LGBT[Q] students were three times more likely
than non-LGBT students to report feeling unsafe at school (22% vs. 7%), and 90% of LGBT[Q]
students (vs. 62% of non-LGBT teenagers) reported being harassed or attacked in the
previous year (GLSEN, 2005). According to the 2009 poll, which included 7,261 middle and
high school students, 84.6% of LGBT[Q] students reported being verbally harassed, 40.1%
reported being physically harassed, and 18.8% reported being physically attacked at school
in the previous year because of their sexual orientation (GLSEN, 2009). Furthermore, 72.4%
of students reported hearing homophobic remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or
frequently at school, and 61.1% reported feeling unsafe in school because of their sexual
orientation. Finally, 29.1% of LGBT[Q] kids skipped at least one class and 30.0% missed at
least one day of school in the previous month due to safety concerns (GLSEN, 2009).
Furthermore, as previously said, bullying based on sexual orientation has been linked to
higher suicidality and mental health concerns (D'Augelli, Pilkington, & Hershberger, 2002).
Other bodies of research back up the GLSEN findings and take into account other
factors. According to the 1999 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey, LGBTQ youth are
nearly three times more likely than heterosexual peers to have been assaulted or involved in
at least one physical fight at school, three times more likely to have been threatened or
injured with a weapon at school, and nearly four times more likely to miss school because
they felt unsafe (Massachusetts Department of Education, 2000)."Higher frequencies of
verbal harassment because of their sexual orientation, damage to or theft of their personal
property, and sexual harassment were associated with youth's plans not to continue their
education after high school," discovered Kosicw (2004). Saewyc, Skay, Richens, Reis, Poon,
and Murphy (2006) examined data from seven population-based surveys and discovered
that LGB[TQ] youth were more likely than heterosexual peers to report histories of physical
and sexual abuse. And, according to Bontempo and D'Augelli (2002), who analyzed data
from 9,188 high school students who completed the Adolescents Risk Behavior Survey in
Massachusetts and Vermont, LGB[TQ] kids reported greater levels of at-school victimization
than heterosexual youth.
Though some LGBTQ kids have a supportive school environment, "only a small
proportion of young people are fortunate enough to attend schools that actively encourage
and defend homosexual pupils." For the most part, the picture is bleak" (Bass & Kaufman,
1996, p. 193). According to Randy Driscoll's testimony before the Massachusetts Governor's
Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Freshman year of high school is difficult enough, but
having large seniors push you about because the word is that you're the 'faggot' makes it 10
times worse... I was spit on, shoved, and humiliated. My educational experience was a living
nightmare. Schools and school administrators are required by law to protect LGBTQ students
(Blumenfeld, 1994, p.117). "School instructors and administrators must recognize that they
teach and are accountable for LGBTQ kids." Ignoring the presence of LGBTQ students
reduces the quality of each kid's education and, ultimately, the life of the LGBTQ student"
(Shores, 2007, p.33).
Overall, there is a growing need for real answers. Massachusetts, for example, has
legislation in the works that, if approved, would expressly safeguard LGBTQ students in
schools. However, while some states are taking action to combat anti-LGBTQ bullying, there
is still much work to be done.
Counselor
Counseling is a well-planned, goal-oriented, and short-term intervention that tries to
assist students in managing and overcoming challenges or worries that are impeding their
progress. Its technique assists learners in defining issues, their causes, choices, and pros and
cons, allowing them to make suitable decisions and actions.
 The Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11036 otherwise
known as the Mental Health Law, Section 25 stipulates that, "Educational institutions such as
schools, colleges, universities, and technical schools shall develop policies and programs for
students, educators and other employees designed to: raise awareness on mental health
issues, identify and provide support services for individuals at risk, and facilitate access,
including referral mechanisms of individual with mental health conditions to treatment and
psychosocial support.
Awaiting the release of the Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program
Policy, which is the overall umbrella of all mental health programs and activities in schools,
the Department tries to address the pressing issues concerning the mental health of learners
most especially during this crisis situation by issuing guidelines on the conduct of counseling
and referral mechanisms in schools.
Documenting the counseling session gives the Guidance Counselor the opportunity
to reflect and appreciate what transpired in the session. He/she can check if it helps to
achieve the overall goals of the counseling, and serves as a guide on the direction to take
during the next session.
Part of the Guidance Counselor's preparation to see a continuing counselee is to
revisit previous session notes, and counseling plan to ensure the delivery and continuity of
care to the counselee. The organized documentation of counseling is very important most
especially when the counselee's thoughts and behaviors manifest the intention to harm
one's self or others. The Guidance Counselor should be able to document what was said,
how it was evaluated, and the response of the Guidance Counselor. This will show what
prompted the Guidance Counselor to respond to the counselee in a particular way, and what
made him/her decide not to take any action given the situation of the counselee.
By creating an accurate and complete documentation of the counseling service, the
Guidance Counselor ensures that counseling sessions are beneficial to the counselees
(learners), conforms to their ethical obligation to provide the needed service, and ensures a
legally defensible record of counseling practice. Case notes content must include: topics
discussed during the session, how the session is related to the counseling plan, how the
counseling plan goals and objectives are met, interventions and techniques used during the
session and their effectiveness, counseling observations, progress or setbacks, signs,
symptoms, and any increase or decrease in the severity of behaviors as they relate to the
main concern, the counselee's current strengths and challenges, and the counselee's current
strengths and challenges.
All guidance personnel are bound to handle all information regarding counselees
with strict confidentiality following Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of2012. The
Guidance Counselor should always see to it that all pertinent documents of the learners are
safe-guarded. The attending Guidance Counselor is the only person authorized to have
access to the guidance records of the learners assigned to him/her. In their absence, the
newly assigned Guidance Counselor is allowed to access the guidance records only as
deemed necessary.
 CHAPTER III
Methodology

Research Method and Design

A cross-sectional approach was utilized in this quantitative study to capture a
"snapshot" of the school community's impressions of Guidance Counselors and their effects
on bullying and general school atmosphere. The study's research topic was: What are the
faculty's impressions of the influence of Guidance Counselors on school environment and
bullying at Granja Kalinawan National High School (GKNHS)? The study was descriptive in
nature, with no intention of establishing causation or relationships between factors.
An F2F survey was used to perform the research. This approach was chosen for
three reasons. For starters, doing a poll saves time and money. Second, it gave geographic
flexibility because the research was conducted at Granja Kalinawan National High School
(GKNHS) in Jaro, Leyte. Third, it provided secrecy, which is vital given the subject matter.
Recruitment and Sampling Frame
This project's recruitment process included looking for participants within a single
school community. The survey was available for one week. In case of any queries or issues,
the researcher's contact information was included in the informed consent and in the body
of each of the survey flyers.
To recruit individuals, a non-probability availability sampling approach was used.
Because of the researcher's ties with the principal, Guidance Counselor, and school social
worker at Granja Kalinawan National High School, this strategy was chosen. Because it does
not include a random selection of people, this sort of sampling can be limited. This indicates
that there was no clear evidence that the participants represented the greater population.
However, it was useful in this situation since the survey recorded the perspectives of the
GKNHS teachers and staff. The eligibility requirements were as follows: 1) being a professor
or staff member at Granja Kalinawan National High School, 2) being 18 years old, and 3)
speaking English. 1) anybody who is not a professor or staff member at Granja Kalinawan
National High School, 2) those who do not understand English, and 3) those under the age of
18.
Prior to conducting this research project an application was submitted to and
approved by the Lagay nyo Subj Teacher nyo.
Sample
Granja Kalinawan National High School is located in 5QPH+J4P, Kalinawan, Jaro,
Leyte. The GKNHS has 5,000 students and 150 academics and staff. The survey was open to
all teachers and employees. The study began with 85 individuals; one was not qualified to
participate, four missed one or more of the eligibility questions, and five did not agree to the
informed consent. Three people were disqualified for responding to less than 75% of the
survey items. The ultimate sample size for this study was 72 GKNHS teachers and staff
members.
The sample members' ages varied from 21 to 70 years old, with an average of 39.8
years old, and 52% were between the ages of 30 and 49. 72% of the participants were
female, whereas 28% were male. Furthermore, 95.8% of the individuals identified as
straight, 2.8% as homosexual, and 1.4% as other. Finally, 94.4% of participants work in
school roles that require them to supervise children, whereas 5.6% do not. Table 1
summarizes the study participants' demographic information, including age, gender, and
sexual orientation.
Table 1
AGE

GENDER

SEXUALITY

GRADE

Years Working
at GKNHS

Student
Supervision
Required of
Position
Sample
The survey had a total of 24 items which were comprised of six main areas: 1)
Demographics (6 items), 2) Gay/Straight Alliances (5 items), 3) LGBTQ Youth (5 items), 4)
Bullying of LGBTQ Youth (5 items), 5) Personal Experiences (2 items), and 6) Closing (1 item).
Each section is described in the paragraph below. See Appendix F for a copy of the survey.
The survey took approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
The demographic section had six items and included information about the
participant including age, gender, and sexual orientation. The second section focused on the
Guidance Counselor at GKNHS. The third section focused specifically on LGBTQ youth and
whether the faculty or staff member felt prepared to work with them. The fourth
component examined bullying of LGBTQ adolescents and whether professors or staff
members saw it as an issue at GKNHS. The final component, which the school's Executive
Director and Social Worker requested, asks about the teaching or staff member's personal
experiences with prejudice while on GKNHS grounds. Finally, the sixth and final component
was an open-ended question that allowed participants to express any further opinions they
had about the Guidance Counselor, LGBTQ adolescents, LGBTQ bullying, and their personal
experiences.
Because no standardized instruments exactly suited the study subject, the
researcher created all of the survey parts. The parts were created based on a review of the
literature, the GKNHS administration's needs, and the researcher's interest in the subject.
The language used to design the items was simple and easy to understand.
Data Collection