The implicit and explicit attitudes of nursing students in Türkiye towards transgender individuals

Abstract Background The study aimed to investigate the implicit and explicit attitudes of nursing students in Türkiye towards transgender individuals, as such attitudes play a critical role in shaping the quality and inclusivity of healthcare services for gender-diverse populations. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. Data were collected from 344 undergraduate nursing students. Implicit attitudes were assessed using the Implicit Association Test (IAT; range: −2 to + 2), while explicit attitudes were measured with the Attitudes Toward Transgendered Individuals Scale (ATTI; range: 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes). Results Students showed moderately positive explicit attitudes (M = 60.48) and slightly negative implicit attitudes (M = 0.19) toward transgender individuals. No significant correlation was found between the explicit and implicit attitudes. Explicit attitudes were more positive among women, those born in Türkiye, students living in metropolitan areas, and those with transgender friends or prior training on transgender health. Religious commitment was negatively associated with explicit attitudes.Stepwise regression analysis model including having a transgender friend, being born in Türkiye, religious commitment, woman gender, and living in a metropolitan area explained 30.6% of the variance in explicit attitudes. Conclusions These findings highlight the attitudinal patterns of nursing students and emphasize the need to integrate comprehensive LGBTQ + content into nursing education to promote inclusive healthcare services. Doing so may foster more inclusive attitudes and reduce potential disparities in the care of transgender individuals.