The Vicissitudes of Homophobic Victimization in Adolescence: An Explorative Study

Ugo Pace; Giulio D'Urso; Lilybeth Fontanesi

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00043

The Vicissitudes of Homophobic Victimization in Adolescence: An Explorative Study

Front Psychol. 2020 Jan 22:11:43. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00043. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Ugo Pace¹, Giulio D'Urso¹, Lilybeth Fontanesi²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Human and Social Science, Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy.
² Department of Psychological Sciences, Health and Territory, Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti - Pescara, Chieti, Italy.

Abstract

This study investigates the role of parental and peer relationships' quality on homophobic victimization and possible consequences on mental health during adolescence. Participants were 394 adolescents, (41.6% male and 58.4% female) aged 15-20 years (M = 16.55; SD = 0.85), attending the third and fourth classes of public high schools in Italy. Participants completed the Homophobic Bullying Scale to evaluate homophobic victimization toward gays and lesbians or assumed homosexuals, the Symptom Check-list-90 to evaluate mental health, and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment to investigate the quality of peer and parental relationships (in terms of communication, disaffection, and trust). Results show how the quality of peer relationships is not connected with victimization, but the quality of parental relationships is linked with homophobic victimization. Finally, the victimization is connected with anxiety and somatization problems. Theoretical and educational implications were discussed.

Keywords: adolescents; equational structural model; homophobic victimization; mental health; parental function.