Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
Students enrolled in an elective psychology course entitled Relationship Science, which emphasized inclusive curricula focused on relationship diversity, completed pre- and postcourse assessments of attitudes toward consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships, relationship skills (e.g., constructive communication), and classroom belonging. Given the established literature on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+-inclusive pedagogy, attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ individuals were also measured. Comparisons of pre- and postcourse assessments revealed significant reductions in stigma toward individuals engaged in CNM, alongside increased acceptance of CNM relationships more broadly. Students also reported increases in relationship skills and classroom belonging over the course of the term. Conversely, acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ individuals did not significantly change from pre- to postcourse assessments. These findings suggest that inclusive relationship science curricula may meaningfully attenuate prejudice toward CNM relationships while simultaneously fostering students’ interpersonal competencies and sense of academic community.
Recommended Citation
Bern, R., Dinero, R., Linenbach, K., & Moors, A. (2026). Inclusive psychology pedagogy is linked to increased belonging and reduced prejudice toward consensually nonmonogamous relationships. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000481
Copyright
American Psychological Association
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, Queer Studies Commons, Social Psychology Commons
Comments
This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology in 2026 following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000481.
This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.