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Attitudes Towards Same-Sex Marriage in Portugal: Predictors and Scale Validation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 December 2014

João Manuel de Oliveira ,
Diniz Lopes ,
Miguel Cameira  and
Conceição Nogueira
João Manuel de Oliveira*
Affiliation:
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Portugal)
Diniz Lopes
Affiliation:
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Portugal)
Miguel Cameira
Affiliation:
Universidade do Porto (Portugal)
Conceição Nogueira
Affiliation:
Universidade do Porto (Portugal)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to João Manuel de Oliveira. CIS-IUL, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. Av. Das Forças Armadas. 1649–026. Lisboa (Portugal). E-mail: joao.m.oliveira@gmail.com
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Abstract

The goal of the present research was to validate a Portuguese version of Pearl and Galupo’s (2007) Attitudes toward Same-Sex Marriage Scale (ATSM). Participants were 1,402 heterosexual men and women that completed an on-line questionnaire. The final 15-item scale formed a single factor showing high internal consistency (α = .95). This one factor structure was backed-up by a confirmatory factorial analysis. In a general way, the results indicate a clearly positive attitude toward same-sex marriage (overall mean was 63.79, SD = 12.66, above the scale mid-point, t(1401) = 55.55, p < .001). Furthermore, analysis of the scale’s predictors demonstrates how a left-wing orientation (β = .22, p < .001) and the level of denial of deservingness for lesbian/gay discrimination (β = .30, p < .001) prove to be the best predictors of attitudes towards same-sex marriage. On the whole, these results indicate that the Portuguese ATSM version is a reliable instrument for carrying out scientific research and measuring and monitoring public opinion on this subject.

Keywords

same-sex marriagescale validationattitudespredictors
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 17 , 2014 , E93
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2014 

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