Factors Influencing on Attitude toward Homosexuality among Nursing Students: Focusing on Sexual Assertiveness and Sex Stereotypes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relevance and different factors having an impact on sexual assertiveness and sex stereotypes for the attitude among nursing students toward homosexuality. A survey was conducted on 253 nursing students in D city using a self-report questionnaire. The data was collected from April 11 to April 20, 2019 and it was then analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson s correlations and multiple regression using SPSS 22.0. The average of sexual assertiveness in the nursing students was 4.44±0.37, and the average of sex stereotypes was 2.08±0.58, and the average of attitude toward homosexuality was 2.75±0.37. The attitude toward homosexuality according to the general characteristics differed among religions (F=13.32, p<.000), religious life (F=20.43, p<.000) and method of parenting (F=2.74, p<.044). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between sexual assertiveness and the attitude toward homosexuality (r=-0.13, p=.034). Also, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between sex stereotypes and the attitude toward homosexuality (r=0.24, p<.000). Religion, religious life and sex stereotypes were the influential factors. Models that included the variables explained 23.1% of the variance for the attitude toward homosexuality. Thus, it is necessary to create an interventional strategy related to nursing student attitude towards homosexuality so as to develop a practical educational program for promoting healthy gender identity.