Challenges and needs of LGBT students at Japanese universities

In recent years, the expansion of sexual minorities’ rights has been gathering pace both in Japan and around the globe. This research project is a two part mixed methods study. In the first phase, we conduct interviews with LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning and others) university students to ascertain qualitative aspects of specific difficulties and needs experienced during their university life.
Based on the qualitative information obtained in the first phase, in the second phase we develop a hypothesis about how university support systems for sexual minority students and students' subjective experiences affect student mental health and academic motivation. We then quantitatively verify that hypothesis through a national web survey. We hope that the outcomes of this research will contribute to creating an open and inclusive university campus climate for sexual minority and other minority students.

Ryosuke Kobayashi, Graduate student, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo
Jihye Kim, Research Associate, Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Waseda University
Yuma Sato, Graduate student, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo

• Jihye Kim, Ryosuke Kobayashi, Yuma Sato and Euan McKay. “Challenges and needs of LGBT students at Japanese universities: voices of sexual minority students at universities in the Kanto area.” Poster presentation at the Japanese Association of Qualitative Psychology 16th annual conference, Meiji Gakuin University, 21-22 September 2019.
• Ryosuke Kobayashi, Jihye Kim, Yuma Sato and Euan McKay. “Challenges and needs of LGBT students at Japanese universities: case studies of sexual minority students at universities in the Kanto area.” Presentation at the Japan Society of Sexual Science 39th annual conference, Kagoshima Prefecture Medical Association, 6 October 2019.