Prejudiced attitudes in university students towards irregular immigrants: an exploratory study

Abstract

Introduction. The main objective of the research was to analyze the existence of prejudiceamong university students of Melilla Campus (Spain) towards migrants who cross the borderillegally. The role of educators and health professionals has a special interest in this context;they are who will have more contact with them. This requires the development of research onthis subject.Method. The study focuses on knowing if there are prejudiced attitudes among universitystudents, using the scale of subtle and blatant prejudice towards illegal immigrants in the Autonomouscity of Melilla. The sample consists of 205 students. It has been used empiricalanalyticalmethodology to be an ex post facto correlational study in which descriptive and inferentialanalyzes were performed.Results. The results show no significant differences regarding the prejudicial attitudes andgender variable. By contrast, the data indicates that the variable qualifications and culture oforigin affect the attitudes which university students show about migrants.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the study highlight the existence of college studentswith certain amount of prejudice against irregular migrants. Concerned that studentswith social qualifications, such as primary education and nursing show this type of ratings topeople who, for various reasons, have had to emigrate from their countries (either by poverty,wars, political persecution or sexual orientation)