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The development of an Internalized Homonegativity Inventory for gay men
1Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 65211, USA.
Journal of Homosexuality
|August 3, 2001
Summary
A new scale, the Internalized Homonegativity Inventory (IHNI), was developed to measure internalized homonegativity in gay men. Preliminary findings show the IHNI has a reliable and valid three-factor structure.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Mental Health
Background:
- Existing scales for internalized homonegativity lack content validity.
- A validated instrument is crucial for accurate measurement in gay men.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Internalized Homonegativity Inventory (IHNI).
- To assess internalized homonegativity among gay men.
Main Methods:
- Generated 42 items from construct definition.
- Administered to 241 gay men in the U.S.
- Conducted exploratory factor analyses to identify subscales.
Main Results:
- A 23-item, three-factor structure emerged: Personal Homonegativity, Gay Affirmation, and Morality of Homosexuality.
- The IHNI demonstrated preliminary reliability and validity.
- Scores correlated as expected with measures of personality, identity development, and existing scales.
Conclusions:
- The IHNI provides a valid and reliable measure of internalized homonegativity.
- The three-factor structure offers new insights into conceptualizing internalized homonegativity.
- This inventory can aid research and clinical practice concerning gay men's mental health.