Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes Scale

Abstract

The Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes Scale (Ballester-Arnal et al., 2024) is a specialized 33-item psychometric instrument developed to comprehensively assess negative attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals and other sexual and gender minorities within the Spanish population. It was created to fill a specific gap in Spanish-language measures that accurately capture the multifaceted nature of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, encompassing beliefs, prejudices, affect, acceptance levels, and potential discriminatory behaviors.

Following rigorous development, including expert review and a pilot test, the scale’s structure was validated using advanced statistical methods, confirming an underlying bifactor model. This model suggests a strong general factor of anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes, along with two specific subfactors related to positive and negative expressions of these attitudes. The scale is suitable for use with Spanish adults across a wide age range (18–85 years) and diverse gender identities.

Keywords

Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes, Discriminatory Behaviors, Negative Attitudes toward LGBTQ+ People, Positive Attitudes toward LGBTQ+ People, Anti-LGBTQ+ Prejudices, Sexual Minorities, Gender Diversity, Spain, Prejudice, Likert Scale.

Authors

Ballester-Arnal, Rafael, Nebot-Garcia, Juan E., Elipe-Miravet, Marcel, Ruiz-Palomino, Estefanía, Gil-Llario, M. Dolores.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes Scale is to provide a reliable and valid measure for quantifying the range and intensity of negative attitudes directed toward the LGBTQ+ community in the Spanish context. This includes assessing both overt and subtle forms of prejudice and non-acceptance across emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions.

The instrument is designed for use in academic research, clinical settings, and social policy evaluation, offering a detailed profile of attitudes that can inform interventions aimed at reducing homophobia and transphobia across various demographic segments of the Spanish adult population.

Construct

The scale measures the overarching psychological construct of Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes. This construct is conceptualized as a complex, hierarchical structure captured by a bifactor model, which posits a general factor of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment alongside two specific subfactors.

These subfactors represent two distinct facets of the construct: 1) Negative Attitudes (items reflecting explicit prejudice, discomfort, and behavioral avoidance) and 2) Positive Attitudes (items reflecting acceptance and support, which are reverse-scored to contribute negatively to the overall anti-attitude score).

Validity

Although the authors did not explicitly label a section as ‘Validity,’ the rigorous factor analytic procedures employed strongly support the scale’s construct validity.

The successful establishment of a well-fitting Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) model, coupled with the identification of a clear bifactor structure, confirms that the 33 items reliably measure the intended underlying construct of Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes. Furthermore, the establishment of good Measurement Invariance across different groups (gender and LGBTQ+ community membership) indicates that the scale measures the construct consistently across these critical demographic populations, suggesting that observed score differences reflect true differences in attitudes rather than methodological biases.

Reliability

The scale demonstrates strong internal consistency, confirming its reliability across both the general factor and the specific subfactors.

Internal consistency coefficients (typically assessed via Cronbach’s alpha) for both the general and specific factors ranged from .879 to .929. These excellent reliability scores suggest that the items within the scale are highly interrelated and measure the same core latent trait with minimal measurement error, ensuring high dependability for the collected data.

Factor Analysis

The psychometric evaluation of the scale utilized both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on the 33 items.

The EFA initially identified two primary factors, exhibiting excellent model fit (CFI and TLI > .95, RMSEA < .05). Subsequent CFA supported a more nuanced bifactor model, which provided the best fit for the data (RMSEA and SRMR ≤ .05, CFI > .95, TLI = .947). This bifactor structure confirms that while there is an overall dimension of anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes, specific positive and negative attitudinal components contribute uniquely to the total score.

The study also verified strong Measurement Invariance, showing that the scale structure holds true regardless of whether the respondent is categorized by gender or membership in the LGBTQ+ community.

Instrument

Test Type: Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The 33 items are rated using a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo / Totally disagree) to 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo / Totally agree). Administration is electronic.

Language Available: Spanish, English (in publication).

Population Group: Human (Male, Female, Transgender).

Age Group: Adults (18-85 years).

Population Details: Respondents were Spanish adults encompassing various gender identities, including Cis Man, Cis Woman, Trans Man, Trans Woman, and Nonbinary Gender individuals.

Test Methodology: Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Measurement Invariance.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Spain, Prejudice, Acceptance, Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexual Minorities, Gender Diversity, Attitudes, Psychological Assessment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Ballester-Arnal, Rafael: ORCID

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Ballester-Arnal, Rafael: Universitat Jaume I, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Avenida Vicent Sos Baynat, s/n, Castello de la Plana, Spain, 12071.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The instrument is non-commercial and is available without a fee. The scale was developed and published in 2024.

Reference’s

Ballester-Arnal, R., Nebot-Garcia, J. E., Elipe-Miravet, M., Ruiz-Palomino, E., & Gil-Llario, M. D. (2024). Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes Scale: Development and psychometric properties of an instrument for the Spanish population. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000761

Items of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes Scale – Spanish Version

A continuación, se presentan una serie de afirmaciones, donde no hay respuestas correctas o incorrectas. Responde tu grado de acuerdo en función de la siguiente escala:

Items and Scoring

Item	Scale
1. La sola idea de sentir atracción física por personas de mi propio sexo me incomoda.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
2. En el contexto escolar no deberían tratarse temas de orientación sexual e identidad de género	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
3. Podría llegar a insultar a una persona trans si intentara ligar conmigo.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
4. Las personas bisexuales son promiscuas y viciosas.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
5. Las relaciones sexuales entre mujeres lesbianas son insatisfactorias.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
6. Respeto a los hombres gais, siempre y cuando no hagan alarde de su orientación sexual.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
7. Sería chocante ver a dos mujeres lesbianas besándose.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
8. Antes las personas estaban discriminadas por su orientación sexual o identidad de género, pero ahora ya no.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
9. Evitaría ir a lugares de ambiente, en los que se reunen personas LGBTQ+, por miedo a que intenten ligar conmigo	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
10. Respeto a las personas trans siempre y cuando no vayan llamando la atención.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
11. Evitaría ayudar a una persona LGBTQ+ a la que insultan por si piensan que yo también lo soy.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
12. Aceptaría que mi hija fuera lesbiana (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
13. Está bien que los hombres gais puedan adoptar hijos/as. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
14. Aceptaría la transexualidad de mi hijo/a. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
15. Sería chocante ver a dos hombres gais besándose.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
16. Podría llegar a insultar a una persona de mi mismo sexo si intentara ligar conmigo.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
17. Aceptaría la bisexualidad de mi hijo/a. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
18. Las relaciones sexuales con personas trans son insatisfactorias.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
19. Aceptaría la bisexualidad de mi pareja. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
20. La orientación sexual e identidad de género son asuntos privados que deben vivirse en casa y no airearlos en público.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
21. Me siento a gusto si me ven en público con una persona abiertamente LGBTQ +. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
22. Está bien que las personas trans puedan adoptar hijos. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
23. Las personas bisexuales son indefinidas e indecisas.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
24. Las relaciones sexuales entre hombres gais son insatisfactorias.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
25. Ser bisexual es antinatural.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
26. Uno de los problemas con la discriminación es que algunas mujeres lesbianas no pueden aguantar una broma.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
27. Está bien que las mujeres lesbianas puedan adoptar hijos/as. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
28. Las personas bisexuales son, en realidad, homosexuales que no se atreven a salir completamente del armario.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
29. Aceptaría que mi hijo fuera gay. (Inverso)	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
30. Creo que debería existir un día del orgullo heterosexual.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
31. Sería chocante ver a una persona trans besándose con otra persona.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
32. La mayoría de hombres gais que son insultados lo provocan por la forma en la que hablan, actúan o se visten.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)
33. Las personas que no se identifican ni como hombres ni como mujeres padecen algún trastorno mental.	1 (Totalmente en desacuerdo) – 5 (Totalmente de acuerdo)

Los ítems 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 27 y 29 son inversos.

Factor “Actitudes Positivas”: 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 27 y 29.

Factor “Actitudes Negativas”: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33.

Actitudes Anti-LGBTQ+ Total: Factor “Actitudes Positivas” (invertidos) + Factor “Actitudes Negativas.”