Subverting Heteronormativity: An Intervention to Foster Positive Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Among Indian College Students.

Prejudice against gay and lesbian persons remains largely an unaddressed issue in India. This experimental study involved designing, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of an intervention to foster positive attitudes toward the homosexual community among Indian college students. The experimental group (n = 60) received a three-component module including perspective taking, education, and direct contact with gay and lesbian persons. Attitudes toward homosexuals, empathy, and self-esteem were measured using standardized questionnaires 15 days before the intervention and immediately following the intervention. No intervention was carried out with the control group (n = 55). Their attitudes were measured 15 days apart, parallel to the experimental group. Results showed that attitudes toward homosexuality improved significantly in the experimental group. The control group also showed a significant, but small, improvement in attitudes. Further, levels of empathy were found to increase only in the experimental group. Limitations, future directions, and implications of the study are discussed.

Breaking barriers: An education and contact intervention to reduce mental illness stigma among Indian college students / Rompiendo barreras: una intervención educativa y de contacto para reducir el estigma de los trastornos mentales en los estudiantes universitarios de la India

This study assessed the effectiveness of an intervention designed to foster more positive attitudes towards persons with mental illness among college students in Delhi. A total of 50 young people participated in a one-time education and contact based intervention. Attitudes towards persons with mental illness were assessed before the intervention, immediately after it and at a one week follow-up. Results indicated increased feelings of benevolence, community mental health ideology and less authoritarianism at the post-intervention assessments. Reduction in endorsement of social restrictiveness was also observed but only in the case of the immediate post-assessment. We also observed a greater recognition of needs, increased positive descriptions, decreased negative descriptions and reduced labelling after the intervention. These results support the efficacy of education and contact-based strategies for reducing mental illness stigma. Implications of the findings for low-middle income countries like India are discussed

El estudio valoró la eficacia de una intervención diseñada para favorecer unas actitudes más positivas hacia las personas con trastornos mentales entre los universitarios de Delhi. Un total de 50 jóvenes participaron en una intervención educativa y de contacto. Se evaluaron las actitudes hacia las personas con enfermedades mentales antes, justo después y una semana después de la intervención. Los resultados aumentaron los sentimientos de benevolencia, y la ideología de salud mental comunitaria y redujeron el autoritarismo en las evaluaciones después de la intervención. También se apreció una disminución del apoyo de la restricción social, pero solo en el caso de la evaluación inmediatamente posterior. Asimismo, se observó un mayor reconocimiento de las necesidades, más descripciones positivas, menos descripciones negativas y se redujeron las etiquetas después de la intervención. Estos resultados respaldan la eficacia de las estrategias de educación y contacto para reducir el estigma de los trastornos mentales. Se discuten las implicaciones de estos hallazgos para países de ingresos bajos-medios como la India