Examining Correlates of Attitudes toward Gay Men Among Vietnamese College Students

The current study investigated correlates of attitudes toward gay men among 455 Vietnamese students (219 females). The Vietnamese Version of Attitudes toward Gay Men scale (VATG) was used as the dependent variable in four hierarchical multiple regression analyses, with gender, traditional male role attitudes, knowledge about gay issues, and number of gay friends as the independent variables. The VATG formed four factors: Social Distance, Positive Attitudes, Moral Condemnation, and Effeminacy. The results indicated that knowledge about gay issues predicted four subscales of the VATG. These relationships were moderated by gender. Effects of traditional male role attitudes on four subscales of the VATG were significant for both genders. Social Distance and Moral Condemnation were predicted by the number of gay friends. This study suggested a potential role of knowledge about gay issues in improving Vietnamese attitudes toward gay men.