title: The Role of Secularism of State on the Relationship Between Catholic Identity, Political Orientation, and Gay Rights Issues.
abstract: In discussions of regulations governing same-sex marriage and adoption by gays and lesbians, the issue of state secularism is often called into question. This study aims to test the mediating effects of state secularism on the relationship between Catholic identity, political orientation, and gay civil rights. Participants were Catholic Italians who completed a questionnaire measuring the constructs under investigation. Results showed that state secularism mediates the effects of Catholic identity and political orientation on attitudes toward same-sex marriage and adoption by gays and lesbians.
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Scienze della Formazione , University of Catania , Catania , Italy.
authors.forename: Zira
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hichy
authors.forename: Mina Halim Helmy
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gerges
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Platania
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santisi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000300:Adoption; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D002410:Catholicism; D002961:Civil Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D035621:Secularism; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities; D012933:Social Identification; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Catholic identity; adoption by gays and lesbians; political orientation; same-sex marriage; state secularism