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Description
The true measure of a democracy is the way it treats its minorities. One minority is the LGBT community. Evidence suggests that people who identify as LGBT face workplace and social discrimination, marginalization and poorer mental and physical health outcomes, and even legal barriers (e.g., unrecognition of the same-sex unions). A recent European Commission (2014) survey showed that 53% of LGBT participants in RO felt discriminated against or harassed because of their sexual orientation. This problem is also experienced in the classroom, as 30% of RO LGBT students report feeling discriminated by teachers. Moreover, little is known on the interpersonal processes in contemporary RO, including the consequences of stigmatization and prejudice for LGBT people. As such, through its three objectives, the current proposal seeks to shed some light on this issue and find a way to reduce societal tensions. The core aim of the project, consists of implementing evidence-based interventions meant to improve the quality of life within the LGBT community. Thus, given that younger sexual minority individuals are most vulnerable to the negative effects of stigma on their mental and physical health, the second objective of this proposal centers on reducing teachers’ level of prejudices and negative attitudes toward LGBT persons through an experimental approach. We will aim at validating an online intervention designed to increase the ability of LGBT persons to cope with adverse events through self-acceptance and personal agency. By designing and implementing an internet-delivered prevention program based on acceptance and commitment principles, we aim at helping LGBT people who are at risk to become more resilient so that they will remain out of the clinical/diagnostic level of depression and anxiety. We will provide education services to decrease the negative attitudes towards LGBT in RO, mental health services for LGBT people to cope with potential adverse events.