39-4 Heterosexual High School Students' Attitudes toward Heterosexual, Gay, and Lesbian Peers

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences on heterosexual high school students' interpersonal relationship attitudes toward heterosexual, gay, and lesbian peers. A sample of 295 male and 203 female heterosexual high school students in Hualien city was recruited for the study. Results indicated that the interaction effects of students' gender and their attitudes toward the sexual orientation of the target were significant across the Friendship, Love, and Sympathy dimensions. Both male and female students reported the higher scores for accepting heterosexual peers and the lower scores for accepting gay peers across these three dimensions. Male students reported more negative attitudes toward gay peers in Friendship, Love, and Sympathy than did female students. Implications for programming, institutional support systems, and institutional policies were discussed. Directions for future research on gay and lesbian students were also highlighted.

Keywords
gay and lesbian peers ; heterosexual high school students ; interpersonal relationship attitudes

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