Cultural Competence and Social Work: Sexual and Gender Diversity in Two Universities in the South of Europe

ABSTRACT

This study aims to analyze cultural competence through the knowledge and attitudes regarding LGBT people held by the students of social work at two universities in southern Spain (N = 512). An ex post facto correlational study has been conducted. The Sex Education and Knowledge about Homosexuality Questionnaire, the Modern Homonegativity Scale and the Negative Attitudes toward Transgender People Scale have been applied to gather information. Data analysis was carried out using frequencies, descriptive statistics, correlations and inferential statistics. The findings show that men, religious, and politically conservative people reported higher levels of homonegative and transphobic attitudes than women, non-religious and politically more liberal people. There is also a lack of specific knowledge on the reality of and specific legislation regarding LGBT people. There is a need to continue to examine and to progress in the training of future social workers in cultural competence, incorporating the contributions of feminist theory.

KEYWORDS:

• Cultural competence
• LGBT
• social work students
• homophobia
• transphobia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The third sector is defined as the “expanding sphere made up of non-profit organizations and entities that work against social exclusion with preventive, welfare, training, social insertion and labour programmes at a local level, but also developing international cooperation programmes in many cases” (Vázquez, 2004, p. 142).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.