Pediatric Healthcare Providers', College Students', and Community Adults' Moral Condemnation Beliefs Toward Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals

Introduction Prejudice toward sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals plays a significant role in SGM youth healthcare. This study examines relations between psychosocial predictors (spirituality, religiosity, SGM education, experience with SGM individuals) and SGM moral condemnation among three distinct samples. Methods This study utilized online questionnaires to assess moral condemnation toward SGM individuals, religiosity, spirituality, SGM experience, and education/training about SGM individuals. The questionnaires were distributed to a college sample, community sample, and pediatric healthcare provider sample. Data were collected in years 2016-2019. Results Religiosity positively predicted moral condemnation in all three samples. Spirituality positively predicted moral condemnation in the community and college samples, but not the provider sample. Education about SGM individuals, previous experience with SGM individuals, having a close SGM friend/family member, and self-reporting previous personal discrimination experiences, as a set, significantly explained additional variance in SGM moral condemnation within the community and college sample, but not within the healthcare provider sample. Conclusion This study lays groundwork for innovative research to further improve pediatric SGM healthcare and to increase the extent to which SGM youth disclose and discuss specific healthcare risks with their medical providers. Policy Implications There is a significant need for social policy focused on decreasing SGM stigmatization and discrimination within the healthcare environment.