CHALLENGING PREJUDICE: THE INFLUENCE OF TAILORED INTERGROUP DIALOGUE LEARNING PROGRAM ON HOMOPHOBIA AND ALLY IDENTITY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS IN SOUTHWEST CHINA

Abstract

This three-phase Research and Development (R&D) study examined the effects of a tailored intergroup dialogue learning program on homophobia and ally identity among college students in Southwest China–a region shaped by Confucian collectivism, filial piety norms, ethnic diversity, and limited LGBTQ-inclusive education, where homophobia persists despite increasing societal acceptance of same-sex attraction. Although previous research has extensively examined homophobia and allyship in Western contexts, particularly through intergroup contact and social constructivist theories, relatively little attention has been given to Asian settings, especially with respect to culturally adapted interventions and psychometrically validated measures for Chinese university populations. The present study aimed to (1) validate the psychometric properties of the Homophobia Scale (HS)and the Ally Identity Measure (AIM), (2) develop and pilot a culturally tailored intergroup dialogue learning program, and (3) evaluate its effectiveness in reducing homophobia and enhancing ally identity using a mixed-methods design. The study followed three R&D phases. Phase 1 (n=609) employed confirmatory factor analysis to validate the Chinese versions of the HS and AIM. Phase 2 (pilot study, n = 12) assessed program feasibility using pre–post surveys and focus group discussions. Phase 3 (n = 45; intervention and control groups) adopted a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative HS and AIM scores with qualitative interview data. Results demonstrated strong psychometric properties of the adapted scales following cultural adjustments, satisfactory program feasibility with refinements informed by qualitative feedback, and significant intervention effects. Specifically, participants in the intervention group showed greater reductions in HS scores and greater increases in AIM scores at post-intervention and follow-up compared to the control group. Qualitative findings further revealed themes of increased empathy and reduced prejudice, highlighting the program’s potential for promoting ally identity development within a culturally specific educational context.-