University Students’ Attitudes Toward Homophobia and Related Factors

Year 2022, Volume: 12 Issue: 3, 582 - 586, 28.09.2022

Duygu Vefikuluçay Yılmaz , Filiz Değirmenci , Ahu Aksoy , Aysu Buldum , Aslihan Aksu

https://doi.org/10.33808/clinexphealthsci.923740

Cited By: 4

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of homophobic attitudes and related factors among senior students at a university in Turkey.

Methods: The descriptive study sample consisted of 317 senior undergraduate students who met the inclusion criteria and accepted to participate in the study between March 20 and April 24, 2017. The study data were collected using the “Personal Information Form” to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the students and “Hudson-Ricketts Index of Homophobia” to determine their homophobic attitudes. Descriptive statistics, the independent samples t-test (Student’s t-test) for the comparison of two groups and the one-way ANOVA test for the comparison of the means of more than two groups were used in the analysis of the data.

Results: In the study, it was determined that 156 (49.2%) students had low levels homophobic attitudes and 148 (46.7%) students had high levels homophobic attitudes. In addition, it was found that 13 (4.1%) students got 87 points and had neutral level homophobic attitudes. Among the students who participated in the study. it was found that the homophobic attitude levels of the students who were women and who had individuals with different sexual orientation in their social environment were found to be lower (p<0.05).

Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that university students have homophobic attitudes and the factors affecting homophobic attitudes of university students are gender and having different sexual orientation in the social environment.

Keywords

Homophobia, homophobic attitudes, homosexuality, university students, factors

References

• [1] Levay S. Gay, straight and the reason why the science of sexual orientation. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press; 2011.
• [2] Kaptan S, Yüksel S. Homosexuals, social exclusion and mental health. Community and Physician 2014;29(4):259-265.
• [3] Basar K. Different facets of sexual identity: sex, gender identity, gender role and sexual orientation. Community and Physician 2014;29(4):245-251
• [4] World Health Organization. Developing sexual health programmes. Available from: URL: http://apps.who.int/iris/ bitstream/10665/70501/1/WHO_RHR_HRP_10.22_eng.pdf
• [5] The Sexual Health Institute Association Homophobia and Heterophobia. Available from: URL: http://www.cised.org.tr/ sayfa218.html.
• [6] Keleher A, Smith ER. Growing support for gay and lesbian equality since 1990. J Homosex 2012;59(9):1307-1326.
• [7] Buz S. Social work with lesbian gay bisexual transsexuals and transvestites. SSW 2011;22(1):137-148.
• [8] Evans R, Nagoshi JL, Nagoshi C, Wheeler J, Henderson J. Voices from the stories untold: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer college students’ experiences with campus climate J. Gay Lesbian Soc Serv 2017;29(4):426-444.
• [9] Çelik DB, Şahin NH. Sexual orientations: approach of health care professional. Literature Symposium 2012;(1):15-23.
• [10] Feng Y, Lou C, Gao E, Tu X, Cheng Y, Emerson MR, Zabin LS. Adolescents’ and young adults’ perception of homosexuality and related factors in three Asian cities. J Adolesc Health 2012;50(30):52–60.
• [11] Saraç L. Attitudes of future physical education teachers in Turkey toward lesbians and gay men. Psychol Rep 2012;111(3):765-775.
• [12] Flórez-Salamanca L, Herazo E, Oviedo HC, Campo-Arias A. Prevalence and predictors of high sexual prejudice among medical students from two Colombian cities. SAGE Open 2014;4(2):1–8.
• [13] Costa PA, Almeida R, Anselmo C, Ferreira A, Pereira H, Leal I. University students’ attitudes toward same-sex parenting and gay and lesbian rights in Portugal. J Homosex 2014;61(12):1667-1686.
• [14] Papadaki V, Plotnikof K, Gioumidou M, Zisimou V, Papadaki E. A comparison of attitudes toward lesbians and gay men among students of helping professions in Crete, Greece: the cases of social work, psychology, medicine, and nursing. J Homosex 2015;62(6):735-762.
• [15] Bakır-Ayğar B, Gündoğdu M, Ayğar H. The attitudes of students at Faculty of Education Mersin University towards homosexuals. J Int Soc Res 2015;8(41):769-777.
• [16] Saraç L. Relationships between religiosity level and attitudes toward lesbians and gay men among Turkish university students. J Homosex 2015;62(4):481-494.
• [17] Sanberk İ, Çelik M, Gök M. An investigation of university students’ homophobia levels regarding gender and gender roles. J Hum Sci 2016;13(3):4011-4019.
• [18] Unlu H, Bedük T, Duyan V. The attitudes of the undergraduate nursing students towards lesbian. J Clin Nurs 2016;25(23- 24):3697–3706.
• [19] Gonenc IM, Senturk Erenel A. Determining homophobic attitudes of nursing students in Turkey and the factors affecting them. Clin Exp Health Sci 2019;9(1):21-28.
• [20] Kwak HW, Kim MY, Kim MY. Severity and influencing factors of homophobia in Korean nursing students. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019;25;16(23):4692.
• [21] Bozkurt F, Korkut-Owen F. University students’ attitudes toward homosexuals. TPCGJ 2020;10(58):495-513.
• [22] Şah U. The social representations of sexual orientation among Turkish youths. Turkish Psychology Articles 2011;14(27):88-99.
• [23] Sadıç E, Beydağ KD. Nursing students’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay and affecting factors. Journal of Nursing Science 2018;1(2):5-13.
• [24] Strong KL, Folse VN. Assessing undergraduate nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes and cultural competence in caring for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients. J Nurs Educ. 2015;54(1):45-49.
• [25] Osmanaga F. Student’s attitudes toward homosexuality. ESJ 2015;11(23):170-183.
• [26] Collier KL, Horn SS, Bos HMW. Sandfort TGM. Attitudes toward lesbians and gays among American and Dutch adolescents. Sex Roles 2015;52(2):140-150.
• [27] Gromer J, Campbell M, Gomori T, Maynard D. Sexual prejudice among Barbadian university students. J Gay Lesbian Soc Serv 2013;25(4):399-419.
• [28] Sakallı N, Uğurlu O. Effects of social contact with homosexuals on heterosexual Turkish university students attitudes towards homosexuality. J Homosex 2001;42(1):53-62.
• [29] Yunus K. Determination of homophobic attitudes’ of social work students. Turkish Journal of Social Work 2018;2(1):16- 27.
• [30] Varol ZS, Çiçeklioğlu M, Taner Ş. Evaluation of levels of gender perception and related factors among first-year students in a medical faculty. Ege Journal of Medicine 2016;55(3):122-128
• [31] Woodford MR, Silverschanz P, Swank E, Scherrer KS, Raiz L. Predictors of heterosexual college students’ attitudes toward LGBT people. J LGBT Youth 2012;9(4):297-320.
• [32] Şah U. The relationship of the descriptions of homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality with levels of homophobia and acquaintanceship with LGBT people. Studies in Psychology 2012;32(2):23-48.
• [33] Higa D, Hoppe MJ, Lindhorst T, Mincer S, Beadnell B, Morrison DM, Wells EA, Todd A, Mountz S. Negative and positive factors associated with the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Youth Soc 2014;46(5):663-687.
• [34] Rowniak SR. Factors related to homophobia among nursing students. J Homosex 2015;62(9):1228-1240.