Attitudes of psychiatric nurses toward same sex orientations

This descriptive survey attempted to discern attitudes of a sample of 67 psychiatric nurses toward lesbianism. The sample included nurses employed at two midwestern psychiatric facilities and students beginning the masters program in psychiatric nursing at a midwestern university. Two questionnaires were administered: MacDonald's Attitude toward Homosexuality Scale--Female (ATHS--F) and the TAW Attitude toward Lesbianism Scenario. Scores on the ATHS--F range from 28 to 252, reflecting increasingly negative attitudes toward lesbianism; scores for this sample ranged from 28 to 232. Demographic variables which showed relationships to ATHS--F scores were type of education (p = .058), religious preference (p = .002), and level of religious devotion (p = .001). The TAW scenario proved more efficacious in determining affective components of attitudes than behavioral aspects.