Microinterventions and well-being: the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ music educators
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Music educators encounter complex working environments that might contribute to mental health strain and exacerbate music teacher shortages. Additionally, LGBTQ+ music educators face unique struggles from microaggressive discrimination in the workplace, which contributes to emotional, behavioral, and cognitive distress. Given the absence of a body of research on LGBTQ+ microaggressions and microinterventions in music education, the purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to highlight LGBTQ+ music educators’ lived experiences with microaggressions, microaggressive stress, and microinterventions. Drawing on microaggression theory, I sought to reveal how their sense of microaggressive stress changed by engaging with microinterventions. I recruited participants using a Qualtrics background questionnaire and employed purposive homogeneous sampling to identify six information-rich cases of adult participants who worked as music educators, identified as LGBTQ+, and regularly experienced microaggressions in the workplace. Participants met for six 60-minute sessions over a six-week period, alternating between individual and small-group professional learning community sessions. This qualitative study began with interviewing participants about their experiences with microaggressions. Phase 2 consisted of a small group training on LGBTQ+ microaggressions and microinterventions. Phase 3 involved collecting data on the participants’ recollections and reactions to the training material. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, online journaling, and follow-up interviews. I analyzed transcripts using IPA and employed member checks, rich descriptions, external audits, triangulation, and researcher bias discussion to build trustworthiness. Findings revealed that the participants experienced a wide range of LGBTQ+, transgender, gender, and intersectional microaggressions, which contributed to emotional, cognitive, and behavioral manifestations of microaggressive stress. All participants employed select microintervention tactics to prevent some harm from recurring and make perpetrators aware of their actions. When distress from unchallenged harm persisted, the microaffirmations, microprotections, and microvalidations from supportive and kind people helped to diminish it. I argue that these educators, their colleagues, and their school leaders might benefit from ongoing training on microaggressions and microinterventions.
Description
2025