The social inclusion of LGBT people. Public attitudes and evidence-based interventions to increase their quality of life

Project summary

Project acronym

LGBT inclusion

Main Thematic area

D - Social Sciences and humanities including gender studies and social inclusion studies

D.4 - Social and economic inclusion of disadvantages groups;

Key words

prejudice

minority stress

sexual orientation

quality of life

vulnerable groups

Principal investigator

Florin Alin Sava

Project promoter

UNIVERSITATEA DE VEST TIMISOARA

Funding

RO Research Programme - EEA Grants

Partners

University of Bergen

Location

Timisoara

Period of implementation

2020-09-01 to 2024-04-30

Visit project's website

Project in a nutshell

The project had three main objectives. The first objective was to assess the attitudes of the Romanian public towards the LGBT community and to study how the divergent progress of public attitudes towards LGBT individuals in Norway and Romania affects the social inclusion of LGBT people. This involved using both primary and secondary data analyses, as well as conducting a crossnational survey of over 1000 respondents for each country.

The second goal was to create, test and implement an intervention that can help reduce prejudice among schoolteachers towards the LGBT community by exposing the teachers to testimonials from members of the LGBT community and providing them with the information and tools they need to reduce school bullying. The intervention (in both English and Romanian), as well as the resources given to participants can be found on our website.

The third and final objective was to create and implement an intervention to improve the emotional well-being of members of the LGBT community by promoting self-acceptance, reducing self-stigma around sexual orientation, and increasing the sense of personal agency. A transcript of the intervention (both in English and in Romanian) can be found on the dedicated website.

Scientific results

Publications

Conferences

The deliverables developed within this project facilitate easy and free access of teachers to educate students about the perils and impact of prejudice.

Moreover, teachers were also equipped with comprehensive resources such as lesson plans, counseling tips, good practice guides, and links to support groups for LGBT students, all aimed at combating bullying in schools.

Furthermore, the online intervention designed to support the needs of the LGBT community is available free of charge for therapists to integrate into their professional practice.

Lastly, the White Paper meticulously details the results of the cross-national survey in plain language, serving as an invaluable resource for policy-makers to consider when making decisions regarding the community in the future.

Socio-economic impact

The project's activities have resulted in benefits for three main categories of beneficiaries. Firstly, lawmakers and the general population can access and read the White Paper developed in WorkPackage 1 based off of the cross-cultural survey implemented. This paper examines the differences in opinions towards the LGBT community in Romania and Norway and identifies possible causes for the disparity in results.

The White Paper also details a series of economic measures that can be taken by lawmakers, benefitting not only the LGBT community but the Romanian population as a whole. Secondly, the intervention developed in WorkPackage 2 has led to 175 teachers reducing their prejudice against the LGBT community, as well as increasing their knowledge and behavioral intention to help students in need. The intervention video and accompanying tools were sent out free of charge at the end of the intervention, benefiting additional pupils and educators. Lastly, the online intervention in WorkPackage 3 resulted in 15 LGBT participants improving their coping with adverse effects and experiencing significant decreases in clinical symptoms of depression, social phobia, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The online intervention is also available free of charge, so further therapists can use it in their practice.

Research in the spotlight

The LGBT community is one of the most vulnerable communities in the face of prejudices and negative attitudes.

The Collaborative Research Project conducted by Professor Sava aims to develop an internet-delivered prevention program based on acceptance and commitment principles. The program will help younger generations to cope with adverse events through self-acceptance and personal agency. At a National level, Professor Sava’s solution promises to drive the adoption of anti-discrimination policies and the reduction of stigma surrounding the LGBT community.

Keep watching this episode of "Research in the Spotlight" to discover how an experimental approach plans to improve the lives and protection of the LGBT community.

Listen on spotify!