Research Email Briefing 46

Current Research

Summary of the Community Relations Council (CRC) funded research projects

Recent Research

Out on Your Own: An Examination of the Mental Health of Young Same-Sex Attracted Men

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Current Research

Below are a few examples of the Community Relations Council (CRC) funded research projects:

Politicians and Community Relations

Contact Details

Gillian Robinson

INCORE

University of Ulster

Northland Road

Derry/L’derry BT48 1JA

028 7137 5500

gm.robinson@ulster.ac.uk

http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/research/projects/pcr/

Project Title: Politicians and Community Relations

Summary of report

This project aims to acquire a greater understanding of the perspectives of Northern Ireland’s politicians on community relations work in order to ensure a more cohesive and agreed approach to the further development of such work with practitioners and policy makers.

Objectives

• To outline how Northern Ireland’s politicians understand and define ‘community relations’.
• To achieve an understanding of how current community relations work is viewed by Northern Ireland’s politicians, and the variety of such views.
• To achieve an understanding of the kinds of community relations work politicians are willing to support and assist, and in which they will participate.
• To achieve an understanding of the kinds of work they are reluctant to support, and about which they have reservations in terms of their participation.
• To achieve an understanding from community relations practitioners about their perceptions of the kinds of support they believe could be helpful from politicians on community relations issues.

A project report is available and can be found on the website listed above.

Youth alienation and communal disorder

Contact Details

Ulf Hansson & Neil Jarman

Institute for Conflict Research

North City Business Centre

2 Duncairn Gardens

Belfast BT15 2GG

028 9074 2682

info@conflictresearch.org.uk

www.conflictresearch.org.uk

Project Title: Youth alienation and communal disorder

Summary of project

This research aims to explore the situation of young people in communities worst affected by sectarian division, to document their roles in relation to violence and to identify ways in which marginalised young people can be positively engaged and involved in building social capital and inter-generational alliances.

Aims

• To investigate the role played by young people in inter and intra community disorder and violence.
• To explore the factors facilitating their participation in disorder and violence.
• To determine the nature of their attitudes towards their own and neighbouring communities.

Objectives

• To ascertain the factors that contribute to young people becoming involved in street violence, rioting and forms of anti-social behaviour.
• To investigate community responses to such violence.
• To establish the range of options for help for communities and young people.
• To assess alternative forms of response to such behaviour.
• A project report is available and can be found on the website listed above.

Recent Research

Out on Your Own: An Examination of the Mental Health of Young Same-Sex Attracted Men

The Rainbow Project carried out research over the last three years into the mental health of young same-sex attracted men. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were utilised for the purposes of the study. The methods chosen involved a large scale quantitative survey, followed by face to face interviews. The target population for both research methods were same-sex attracted men aged 25 years or under who either currently lived in or were brought up in Northern Ireland.

In total, 190 questionnaires were completed fully, or least to an extent which made it meaningful to include them in the sample. Most (93.4%) of the sample identified as gay or bisexual. However, 5.8 % of the sample identified as ‘Men who have sex with men’ or ‘Not heterosexual’. For this reason the study refers to same-sex attracted young men rather than gay and bisexual young men. Sixteen young men took part in face to face interviews.

Some of the Main Findings

Mental Health and Suicide

• Almost one third (32.4%) of the respondents had a potential psychiatric disorder (as measured by the GHQ 12 score).
• Over one third (34.4%) of the respondents had been diagnosed with a mental illness at some time in their lives.
• In total 37.9% of respondents received professional help and a further 3.2% had been referred for professional help and did not follow it through.

Home and Family

• Two fifths of the respondents moved out of home because of negative attitudes to their sexual orientation.
• One fifth had experienced homophobia from their families.

School

It was confirmed through the survey and the interviews that most young men realise their sexual orientation while at school.

• Nearly two-thirds (65.3%) experienced some difficulties in school related to sexual orientation.
• Over half (51.9%) were subject to homophobia from other pupils.
• Nearly half (44.7%) were bullied.
• Two thirds (66.3%) of the respondents stated they would like more training in schools.

Society

The survey and the narratives illustrate that homonegative and heterosexist attitudes are widespread in Northern Ireland.

• Over one-third (33.9%) of the respondents experienced negative attitudes at work because of their sexual orientation.
• Over two fifths (44.2%) experienced homophobia in an open place.
• Over two fifths (41.1%) experienced homophobia while receiving goods, facilities or services.

The findings of this report show that young, same-sex attracted men who experience negative attitudes to their sexual orientation are at a greater risk of experiencing mental health difficulties, suicidal ideation and self-harm. This is exemplified through the evidence from the quantitative and qualitative results. In particular the findings show that some young, same-sex attracted men experience extreme isolation when coming to terms with their sexual orientation. This isolation often continues after the revelation of their sexual orientation. Negative attitudes to non-heterosexual people within school, from family members, at work and from individuals in day to day life are a constant reminder that to be gay or bisexual is not fully acceptable in society. The research suggests that it not just one homonegative experience that can affect young same-sex attracted men, rather, it is the repeated exposure of incidences of homophobia and heterosexism that will eventually be detrimental to young, same-sex attracted men’s mental health.

The report is available to download at www.rainbow-project.org. For further information or a hard copy of the report please contact The Rainbow Project:

The Rainbow Project

2-8 Commercial Court

Belfast BT1 2NB

028 9031 9030

028 9031 9031

info@rainbow-project.org

www.rainbow-project.org

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Thanks to everyone who sent information that has been included in NICVA Research Update 46. Please remember to send information about research that you have undertaken and requests for information that you would like included in the next update. Also remember to let others know about NICVA Research Updates. To register send an email entitled ‘NICVA Research Updates’ to andrea.burke@nicva.org

Andrea Burke

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NICVA

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028 9087 7777

028 9087 7799

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