Sport as a dangerous environment: a research on homophobia and bullying in sports-related contexts

Physical activity is an important determinant of health and overall well-being because improves one’s quality of life and reduces the risk of mortality. For example, low levels of physical activity are associated with increased risk for adverse health outcomes, such as coronary heart disease and cancer, and poor mental health throughout the lifetime (Cooper et al., 2000; Nelson, Lust, Story, & Ehlinger, 2008; Zelli, Reichmann, Lucidi, & Grano, 2007). However, some studies suggested that sports-related contexts may be a particularly problematic setting with remarkable homophobic and heterosexist behavior (Eng, 2008; Griffin, 1993, 1998; Herek & Garnets, 2007; Meyer, 2003; Peguero, 2008; Symons et al., 2010; Volk & Lagzdins, 2009). This could be especially true for the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and all other sexual orientations and gender identities that persons may identify with (LGBT+), who tend to be an ‘at-risk’ group due to prejudice and discrimination suffered. This dissertation is divided in four chapters, containing six studies that are closely related to each other. In more detail, we developed and administered survey questionnaires to capture information on levels of homophobia among different Italian sample (both sports participants and non-participants) in the first four studies. The protocols were approved by the Ethics Commission of the Department of Developmental and Social Psychology of the Sapienza University of Rome. In addition, in order to analyze the role of physical activity and victimization also in other countries, we used two representative sample of the U.S. population for the fifth and sixth study: The study 5 used data from the 2017 Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), while the study 6 analyzed data from the 2013–2015 California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS). I worked with these National databases during my visiting scholar period at the University of Texas at Austin (USA), from February 13, 2018 to May 17, 2018, under the supervision of Stephen T. Russell, Distinguished Professor at Population Research Center, Human Development and Family Sciences. All studies have been published or submitted in international scientific journals (according to the doctoral regulations of the Department of Developmental and Social Psychology of Sapienza University of Rome). A reference to the journal for each manuscript published in or submitted to are presented on references section

Atteggiamenti nei confronti di atleti gay, lesbiche e bisessuali che rivelano il proprio orientamento sessuale all’interno dei contesti sportivi

The scientific literature reported that sport environments are generally hostile toward coming-out of gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) athletes. The present study tested gender and sexual orientation differences in negative attitudes toward coming-out in Italian sport contexts. An ad hoc measure, developed for the current study, was used for evaluating negative attitudes toward coming-out in sports related contexts. A sample of 75 Italian soccer players (61.3% heterosexuals and 38.7% GLB athletes) was used to verify two hypotheses; (a) men and heterosexuals will show more negative attitudes toward coming-out in sports related contexts than those of women and sexual minorities, respectively; and (b) elite players will show more negative attitudes than non-elite players. The results showed that men and heterosexuals reported more negative attitudes toward coming-out in sports-related contexts than women and sexual minorities, respectively There were no significant differences between elite players and non-elite players These results suggest that negative attitudes toward coming-out may reflect heterosexism and homophobia in Italian sport-related contexts. It is necessary to promote anti-discriminatory policies in order to reduce prejudice toward GLB people in Italian sports-related contexts

“Be as You Are” Clinical Research Center at the Sapienza University of Rome

Italy's government has enacted few supportive policies for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and all other sexual orientations and gender identities with which persons may identify (LGBTQ+), and most of the fundamental rights for sexual minorities are still not recognized. Despite this social and political situation, the Department of Developmental and Social Psychology of the Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome established "Be as You Are," the first Italian clinical research center specifically created for LGBTQ + people on a university campus. The facility offers several public services, such as: (a) counseling or individual psychotherapy for LGBTQ + adolescents and young adults; (b) family therapy supporting LGBTQ + adolescents; (c) parent training programs; (d) interventions in different social contexts. This letter to the editor aims to present the clinical research center and to introduce the role played by LGBTQ + health care services to improve the well-being and mental health of sexual minority individuals, especially in stigmatized contexts where sexual prejudices are still rife, such as in Italy

Coming out to parents in lesbian and bisexual women: the role of internalized sexual stigma and positive LB identity

The experience of “coming out” (CO) to parents is often a crucial event in the lives of lesbian and bisexual (LB) women, associated with lower internalized sexual stigma (ISS) and higher positive LB identity. Few studies have compared the experiences of LB women in the CO process. Rather, most prior research has either: (1) not addressed bisexuality or eliminated bisexual individuals from the analysis; (2) combined bisexual women and bisexual men in the same sexual orientation group; or (3) examined bisexual participants alongside lesbian women and gay men, using a single monolithic measure. Thus, the present research aimed at investigating the role of ISS and positive LB identity in inhibiting or encouraging CO to parents in a sample of 241 lesbian women (Mage = 27.61, SD = 7.19) and 186 bisexual women (Mage = 25.23, SD = 5.81), aged 18–40 years. Most participants reported that they had already revealed their sexual orientation to their mother (69%) and their father (52%). More lesbian women had CO to both their mother and their father than had bisexual women. These lesbian women reported lower levels of ISS and higher levels of LB positive identity relative to bisexual women. On average, CO to mothers occurred at age 20 (SD = 5.54), while CO to fathers occurred at age 22 (SD = 5.63). LB women did not differ in the average age of CO to mothers or fathers, or in parental reactions to CO. Finally, ISS was found to affect the process of CO to both parents via positive identity (bootstrapping estimate = −0.26, SE = 0.08, 95% CI = −0.43, 0.11), whereas sexual orientation was not found to moderate the path from ISS to CO to both parents. The present study contributes to our understanding of the differences between LB women when developing their sexual orientation, highlighting the relevance of a positive LB identity for CO to parents. Research and clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed

Sports as a risk environment: homophobia and bullying in a sample of gay and heterosexual men

Research on bullying and homophobic bullying has mainly focused on school contexts, with little research in sports-related contexts. This study used a sample of 88 gay males and 120 heterosexual males between 18 and 36 years of age to examine the frequency of bullying experiences in Italian sports-related contexts. The results showed that gay men reported more frequent bullying and homophobic bullying than heterosexual men. Gay men reported dropping out of sports more frequently, namely due to a fear of being bullied and greater familial pressure to conform to masculine-type sports. It is necessary to promote safer sports-related contexts for people who self-identify as a sexual minority

Personal and family correlates to happiness amongst Italian children and pre-adolescents

This study examines how family functioning, the parent-child relationship and personal factors are related to happiness in 1549 children aged 7 to 14 years old (53% females) in Italy. Children and pre-adolescents completed a set of questionnaires on self-rated happiness, self-concept and loneliness. At least one of their parents filled in questionnaires on family functioning, attachment and their child’s happiness level. No gender differences were found in the direct measure of happiness, but younger participants were happier than older participants, according to both the children’s and parents’ evaluations. Happiness is influenced by positive self-concept, self-esteem and low levels of satisfaction but family functioning does not seem to play a major role. The clinical and social implications of the study are discussed.peer-reviewe

Helicopter mothers and helicopter fathers : Italian adaptation and validation of the Helicopter Parenting Instrument

The aim of this study is to validate the Italian version of the Helicopter Parenting Instrument (HPI), a self-report instrument that evaluate adolescents’ and young adults’ perception of parenting behaviors. The term helicopter parenting describes a style of child-rearing characterized by parents who are over-involved in every aspect of their children’s lives in inappropriate ways, compromising their autonomy. The HPI (maternal and paternal version) was administered to 602 adolescents (356 females), between 14 and 18 years of age (Mfemales = 16.56; SD = 1.43; Mmales = 16.63; SD = 1.41). The factorial analysis confirmed the original one-factor structure for both versions. The two versions of the instrument demonstrated good concurrent and divergent validity and the reliability was high. In general, our participants perceived mothers with higher levels of helicopter parenting than fathers, regardless of gender and age of the participants. In conclusion, the instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties, indicating that it may be a valid measure for evaluating parental overparenting in the Italian context

Experiences of life and intersectionality of transgender refugees living in Italy: A qualitative approach

Transgender refugees are at risk of experiencing increased minority stress due to experiences of trauma in their country of origin, and the intersection of multiple marginalized identities in their host country. Adopting a transfeminist and decolonial approach, the present study aimed at exploring transgender refugees’ experiences of life and migration. A semi-structured interview protocol was developed, grounded in the perspectives of minority stress and intersectionality. Participants were five transgender refugees (four women and one non-binary) from different cultural/geographic contexts, professing different religions. Using thematic analysis, the researchers identified three themes: pre- and post-migration minority stress and transphobia; religion as a protective factor for gender affirmation; and individuation and the synthesis of social identities. Participants reported traumatic experiences and the inability to openly live out their gender identity in their country of origin as the main push factors to migration. They also reported feelings of isolation and experiences of victimization during interactions with the Italian asylum services, due to a lack of adequate training, racial prejudice, and transphobia. Participants demonstrated positive individuation, linked to gender affirmation treatments and religious protective factors. The interview protocol may be used by social operators to support the claims of transgender asylum seekers, and to clinically assess transgender people with an immigrant background

Personal and Family Correlates to Happiness amongst Italian Children and Pre-adolescents

This study examines how family functioning, the parent-child relationship and personal factors are related to happiness in 1549 children aged 7 to 14 years old (53% females) in Italy. Children and pre-adolescents completed a set of questionnaires on self-rated happiness, self-concept and loneliness. At least one of their parents filled in questionnaires on family functioning, attachment and their child's happiness level. No gender differences were found in the direct measure of happiness, but younger participants were happier than older participants, according to both the children's and parents' evaluations. Happiness is influenced by positive self-concept, self-esteem and low levels of satisfaction but family functioning does not seem to play a major role. The clinical and social implications of the study are discussed.Peer reviewe

Minority stress, resilience, and health in Italian and Taiwanese LGB+ people : a cross-cultural comparison

The present study, using a moderated mediational model, explored levels of distal/proximal stressors, rumination, resilience, and health in a group of Italian and Taiwanese LGB+ people. The study also examined the role of internalized sexual stigma (ISS) and rumination as mediators between discrimination and health, and resilience as a moderator of the relationship between discrimination and ISS, rumination, and health, respectively. An online survey was administered to 508 LGB+ participants (270 Italian and 238 Taiwanese) whose age ranged from 18 to 70 years (M = 37.93, SD = 13.53). The moderated mediation model was tested through a series of path analyses stratified by group nationality. Italian participants reported higher discrimination and resilience, but lower ISS, rumination, and health problems compared to their Taiwanese counterparts. The only common path between groups was the direct effect of discrimination on health problems. The mediating role of ISS and rumination in the relationship between discrimination and health, as well as the moderating role of resilience, were partly significant only for the Italian group. Conclusions: The findings suggest that mediators and moderators used to evaluate the effects of minority stress on health may differ between groups; further culturally sensitive research in the field of LGB+ health is needed