Joseph Kosciw, Ph.D.
Director of Mental Health Research and Impact at ETR
Biography
Joseph Kosciw, Ph.D. (he/him) is the Director of Mental Health Research and Impact at ETR. In this role, he focuses on ETR’s mental health initiatives, with special attention to approaches and interventions that are youth-focused, trauma-informed/healing-centered, and grounded in mental health equity. Dr. Kosciw has been conducting community-based research for over 20 years, including program evaluations for non-profit service organizations and for local government, including Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Safe Horizons, the New York City Mayor’s Office for AIDS Policy Coordination and the New York State Department of Health. His research has focused on evaluation and program development of community-based initiatives for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) adolescents and adults regarding health and well-being, community effects on family processes, and the family-school connection. Dr. Kosciw is a leading scholar in the field of LGBTQ+ youth development and more broadly in LGBTQ+ issues in K-12 education. He was the Research Director at GLSEN, a national U.S. non-profit whose mission was to create safe and affirming school environments for LGBTQ+ youth. He developed and oversaw the National School Climate Survey, a biennial survey that, for 20 years, has documented the school experiences of LGBTQ+ secondary school students regarding school safety, bullying and harassment, and LGBTQ+ affirming school supports.
Prior to joining ETR, Dr. Kosciw was a Senior Research Fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University, and has helped establish a growing international dialogue regarding the impact of bullying, violence and discrimination on educational access and health and mental health in cultures around the world, with particular attention to issues of gender and sexuality. He has provided technical assistance to non-governmental organizations globally, primarily in the Global South and Eastern Europe, to build capacity for research and evaluation, and to advocate on behalf of young people in their countries.
He has a Ph.D. in Community Psychology from New York University, a B.A. in psychology and an M.S.Ed. in School Counseling from the University of Pennsylvania. He also trained as a family therapist and has worked as a school counselor and psychoeducational consultant in elementary and secondary schools.
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Adelman, M., Nonnenmacher, S., Borman, B. & Kosciw, J. G. (2022). Gen Z GSAs: Trans-affirming and racially inclusive Gender-Sexuality Alliances in secondary schools. Teachers College Record, 124(8), 1– 20. https://doi.org/10.1177/01614681221123129
Clark, C. M., & Kosciw, J. G. (2021). Engaged or excluded: LGBTQ youth's participation in school sports and their relationship to psychological well-being. Psychology in the Schools, 1– 20. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22500
Singh, A., & Kosciw, J. G. (2016-2017). Introduction to the special issue: School counselors transforming schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students. Professional School Counseling, 20(1a), 1-4.
Kull, R. M., Kosciw, J. G., & Greytak, E. A. (2016-2017). Preparing school counselors to support LGBT youth: The roles of graduate education and professional development. Professional School Counseling, 20(1a), 13-20.
Kull, R. M., Greytak, E. A., Kosciw, J. G., & Villenas, C. (2016). Effectiveness of school district anti-bullying policies in improving LGBT youths’ school climate. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 3(4), 407-415.
Kosciw, J. G. & Pizmony-Levy, O. (2016). Special Issue Introduction: International Perspectives on Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying in Schools. Journal of LGBT Youth, 13(1-2), 1-5.
Pizmony-Levy, O. & Kosciw, J. G. (2016). Social context and the Experience of LGBT Students in Schools: A Comparison of Israel and the United States. Journal of LGBT Youth. 13(1-2), 46-66.
Kosciw, J. G., Palmer, N. A, & Kull, R. M. (2015). Reflecting resiliency: Openness about sexual orientation and/or gender identity and its relationship to well-being and educational outcomes for LGBT students. American Journal of Community Psychology, 55(1-2), 167-178.
Kosciw, J. G., Palmer, N. A., Greytak, E. A., & Kull, R. M. (2013). The effect of negative school climate on academic outcomes for LGBT youth and the role of in-school supports. Journal of School Violence, 12, 45-63
Greytak, E.A., Kosciw, J.G. & Boesen, M.J. (2013). Educating the educator: Creating supportive school personnel through professional development. Journal of School Violence, 12, 80-97.
Greytak, E. A., Kosciw, J. G., & Boesen, M. J. (2013). Putting the “T” in resource: The benefits of LGBT-related school resources for transgender youth. Journal of LGBT Youth, 10(1-2), 45-63.
Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., & Diaz, E. M. (2009). Who, what, where, when, and why: Demographic and ecological factors contributing to hostile school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38(7), 976–988.
Book Chapters & Non-Peer-Reviewed Articles
Clark, C.M., Kosciw, J.G., & Hurley, P. (2022). Life in school for transgender and nonbinary students: student experiences and key supports. In M. Magnin & M. Suarez (Eds.) Trans Studies in K-12 Education: Mapping an Agenda for Research and Practice. Harvard Education Press.
Palmer, N.A., Kosciw, J.G., Greytak, E.A., & Boesen, M. J. (2016). Disrupting hetero-gender- normativity: The complex role of LGBT affirmative supports at school. In S. T. Russell & S. S. Horn (Eds.) Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Schooling. Oxford University Press.
Ybarra, M., Mitchell, K. & Kosciw, J. (2014). The relation between suicidal ideation and bullying victimization in a national sample of transgender and non-transgender adolescents. In Goldblum,
Espelage & Bognar (Eds.), Youth Suicide and Bullying: Challenges and Strategies for Prevention and Intervention. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Greytak, E. A. & Kosciw, J. G. (2014) Responsive classroom curriculum for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning students. In Fisher & Komosa-Hawkins (Eds.) Creating School Environments to Support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Students and Families: A Handbook for School Professionals. New York: Routledge.
Diaz, E.M., Kosciw J. G. and Greytak E. A. (2010). School connectedness for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth: In-school victimization and institutional supports. The Prevention Researcher (17)3, 15-17.
Kosciw, J. G., Byard, E.S., Fischer, S. N., & Joslin, C. (2007). Gender equity in education for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. In S. Klein (ed.), Handbook for Achieving Gender Equity Through Education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Selected Reports
Kosciw, J. G., Clark, C. M., & Menard, L. (2022). The 2021 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of LGBTQ+ Youth in Our Nation’s Schools. New York: GLSEN.
Clark, C. M., & Kosciw, J. G. (2022). Educating Educators: Educating Educators: Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practice of Teacher Educators on LGBTQ Issues. New York: GLSEN.
Clark, C. M. & Kosciw, J. G. (2022). Considerations for Measuring Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Surveys of Secondary School Students (Research Brief). New York: GLSEN.
Truong, N. L., & Kosciw, J. G. (2022) The Experiences of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) LGBTQ Students in U.S. Secondary Schools (Research Brief). New York: GLSEN.
Truong, N. L., Adelman, M., Clark, C. M., Borman, B., Nonnenmacher, S., & Kosciw, J. G. (2022). The GSA Study: Student Leader Narratives on Best Practices for Gender and Sexuality Alliance Clubs. New York: GLSEN.
Truong, N. L., Clark, C. M., Rosenbach, S., & Kosciw, J. G. (2021). The GSA Study: Results of National Surveys About Students’ and Advisors’ Experiences in Gender and Sexuality Alliance Clubs. New York: GLSEN.
Clark, C. M., Kosciw, J. G., & Chin, J. (2021). LGBTQ Students and School Sports Participation (Research Brief). New York: GLSEN.
Kosciw, J. G., Clark, C. M., Truong, N. L., & Zongrone, A. D. (2020). The 2019 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN.
Truong, N. L., Zongrone, A. D., & Kosciw, J. G. (2020). Erasure and resilience: The experiences of LGBTQ students of color, Asian American and Pacific Islander LGBTQ youth in U.S. schools. New York: GLSEN.
Truong, N. L., Zongrone, A. D., & Kosciw, J. G. (2020). Erasure and resilience: The experiences of LGBTQ students of color, Black LGBTQ youth in U.S. schools. New York: GLSEN.
Zongrone, A. D., Truong, N. L., & Kosciw, J. G. (2020). Erasure and resilience: The experiences of LGBTQ students of color, Latinx LGBTQ youth in U.S. schools. New York: GLSEN.
Zongrone, A. D., Truong, N. L., & Kosciw, J. G. (2020). Erasure and resilience: The experiences of LGBTQ students of color, Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native LGBTQ youth in U.S. schools. New York: GLSEN.
Kosciw, J. G. & Zongrone, A. D. (2019) A Global School Climate Crisis: Insights on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Students in Latin America. New York: GLSEN.
Greytak, E. A., Kosciw, J. G., Villenas, C. & Giga, N. M. (2016). From Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revisited, A Survey of U.S. Secondary School Students and Teachers. New York: GLSEN.
Kull, R.M., Kosciw, J. G., & Greytak, E. A. (2015). From Statehouse to Schoolhouse: Anti-Bullying Policy Efforts in U.S. States and School Districts. New York: GLSEN.
Kosciw, J. G. & Pizmony-Levy, O. (2013). Fostering a Global Dialogue about LGBT Youth and Schools: Proceedings from a Meeting of the Global Network Combating Homophobic and Transphobic Prejudice and Violence in Schools Sponsored by GLSEN & UNESCO. New York: GLSEN.
GLSEN, CiPHR, & CCRC (2013). Out Online: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth on the Internet. New York: GLSEN.
GLSEN and Harris Interactive (2012). Playgrounds and Prejudice: Elementary School Climate in the
United States, A Survey of Students and Teachers. New York: GLSEN.
Greytak, E. A., Kosciw, J.G., & Diaz, E. M. (2009). Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation's Schools. New York: GLSEN.
GLSEN and Harris Interactive (2006). From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America, A Survey of Students and Teachers. New York: GLSEN.
GLSEN and Harris Interactive (2008). The Principal’s Perspective: School Safety, Bullying and Harassment, A Survey of Public School Principals. New York: GLSEN.
Kosciw, J. G. and Diaz, E. M. (2008). Involved, Invisible, Ignored: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Parents and Their Children in our Nation's K–12 Schools. New York: GLSEN.
