Questioning youths: Challenges to working with youths forming identities

Youths who question their affectional orientation are increasingly identifi ed as a group of young people with needs for support. These questioning you ths are often included in groups intended for sexual minority youths, but m ay be ill served by them if the groups' developers fail to conceptualize th eir status as developmental. Rigid social expectations about sexual identit y development may further complicate the experiences of these youths in sch ools and communities. This article reviews definitions of sexual orientatio n, identity, and questioning youths and suggests implications these have fo r youths and programs. Recommendations are made for school programs that su pport the alliances among youths regardless of sexual orientation and that include both social activities and group support.