Effectiveness of an awareness program on LGBTQ to change attitudes and knowledge of University undergraduates about LGBTQ community

Abstract

The LGBTQ+ community has historically faced various forms of discrimination, prejudice, and stigma. One of the main issues identified is the lack of understanding about and the negative attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community in general, including their fellow students. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an LGBTQ+ awareness video in changing university undergraduate students' attitudes and knowledge regarding the LGBTQ+ community. The study used a pre-test/post-test designed to assess the impact of the awareness program on the participants' attitudes and knowledge. A sample of university undergraduates (n=150) was recruited from all public universities, representing diverse disciplines and backgrounds using the convenient purposive sampling technique. The awareness video focuses on LGBTQ+ terminology; challenges; social; and physical differences; and causes. The participants completed a pre-test survey assessing their attitudes and knowledge about the LGBTQ+ community prior to the awareness video introduced by the researchers. They also completed a post-test survey designed to evaluate any changes in their attitudes and knowledge. Interviews were conducted with people who showed a significant difference and those who did not show any difference. SPSS and Thematic analysis were used for data analysis. NVivo was used to transcribe the interviews into text. Pre- and post-tests showed a mean difference of 16 in knowledge and a mean difference of 17 in attitudes. Through thematic analysis, it appears that despite the increase in positive attitudes through the video, society is reluctant to accept the LGBTQ+ community based on cultural and moral factors. Accordingly, the findings of this study indicate that the awareness program significantly influenced university undergraduate students' attitudes and knowledge regarding the LGBTQ+ community. The study suggests that there is potential to reduce discrimination against LGBTQ+ people by improving awareness, dispelling myths, and fostering inclusive university environments. Future research should aim to replicate these findings in broader and more diverse samples.