Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS)

Abstract

The Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS) is a highly regarded, psychometrically rigorous instrument designed to capture the complexity and multidimensionality of sexual minority identity development and experience. Originally introduced by Mohr and Fassinger in 2000, the scale provides a means to assess psychological dimensions crucial to the identity integration and overall well-being of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Recognizing the need for refinement and extended applicability across diverse LGB populations, the scale underwent a significant revision and extension in 2011/2012 by Mohr and Kendra. The resulting 27-item scale employs a 7-point Likert scale format, offering researchers and clinicians a nuanced framework for understanding identity formation, the impact of internalized stigma, and positive identity affirmation.

Keywords

LGBIS, Lesbian Identity, Gay Identity, Bisexual Identity, Sexual Orientation, Internalized Homonegativity, Identity Development, Psychometrics, Identity Centrality, Concealment, Identity Affirmation.

Authors

Janis J. Mohr, Ruth E. Fassinger, Michelle S. Kendra.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the LGBIS is to serve as a robust, multidimensional assessment tool for quantifying the intricacies of sexual minority identity. It moves beyond measures focused strictly on sexual behavior or attraction to evaluate the core psychological processes, attitudes, and challenges inherent in integrating an LGB identity into one’s overall sense of self while navigating a predominantly heterosexual social environment. The scale is particularly valuable because it captures the duality of the identity experience.

The LGBIS specifically aims to quantify both the affirmative, positive aspects of identity, such as pride and community belonging, and the negative challenges, which include internalized stigma, identity confusion, and the motivational pressures leading to concealment or privacy regarding same-sex relationships. The 2012 revised version provides enhanced specificity, allowing for clearer differentiation among these critical psychological components, making it highly useful for research on minority stress and resilience.

Construct

The LGBIS measures the multidimensional structure of sexual minority identity, conceptualizing it as a dynamic process involving both internal self-acceptance and external negotiation with society. The definitive 2012 revision established a robust eight-factor structure, reflecting the complex and often challenging nature of identity formation for LGB individuals. These eight constructs are:

• Acceptance Concerns: Measures the extent of worry and anxiety about potential negative judgment or rejection from others regarding one’s sexual orientation.

• Concealment Motivation: Reflects the conscious desire and active effort expended by the individual to keep their sexual orientation or same-sex romantic relationships private.

• Identity Uncertainty: Captures feelings of confusion, ambiguity, or indecision surrounding the identification of one’s specific sexual identity or orientation.

• Internalized Homonegativity: Measures negative, self-directed attitudes and beliefs about being LGB, including wishing to be heterosexual or believing one’s attraction is inherently unjust or flawed. This construct is closely related to internalized homophobia.

• Difficult Process: Assesses the subjective experience of struggle, emotional pain, or the perceived slowness associated with the journey of acknowledging and fully accepting one’s LGB identity.

• Identity Affirmation: Measures positive emotional states, feelings of pride, and satisfaction associated with identifying as an LGB person and being connected to the LGB community.

• Identity Centrality: Reflects the degree to which one’s sexual orientation is considered a core, significant, or defining element of their overall self-concept and identity structure.

• Identity Superiority: Measures the belief that LGB people or their associated lifestyles are inherently better or more desirable than heterosexual people or lifestyles.

Validity

The LGBIS, in both its original 2000 and revised 2012 iterations, has demonstrated strong evidence of psychometric validity. The authors applied rigorous psychometric procedures, including extensive construct and criterion-related validity assessments, confirming that the scale accurately measures the intended dimensions of sexual identity development rather than tangential constructs. The initial six-factor model of the 2000 version provided the foundational empirical support for the scale’s utility.

Crucially, the 2012 revised structure exhibited enhanced discriminant validity. This improvement allowed the scale to successfully differentiate between conceptually distinct yet often correlated factors, such as identity confusion, internalized negativity, and positive affirmation. This refinement is essential for detailed assessment in contemporary clinical and research contexts focusing on the nuances of sexual minority stress, identity integration, and resilience.

Reliability

The LGBIS subscales consistently demonstrate high internal consistency reliability. The original 2000 scales reported strong Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for their foundational factors, including Homonegativity/Binegativity (0.80), Need for Acceptance (0.73), Identity Confusion (0.79), and Superiority (0.70). These coefficients provide strong evidence that the items within each factor measure a unified construct.

The revised 2012 scale, utilizing its expanded eight-factor structure, maintained strong reliability across the updated factors. Subscales such as Acceptance Concerns, Concealment Motivation, Identity Uncertainty, and Internalized Homonegativity consistently demonstrate acceptable to strong internal consistency, reinforcing the stability and internal coherence of the items and supporting the use of the subscale scores for clinical and research interpretation.

Factor Analysis

The development of the LGBIS commenced with the application of factor analysis in the 2000 study by Mohr and Fassinger. This analysis delineated six core dimensions central to the lesbian and gay male experience: homonegativity/binegativity, need for privacy, need for acceptance, identity confusion, difficult process, and superiority.

The subsequent 2012 revision (Mohr & Kendra) employed both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) techniques. This rigorous approach was utilized to refine the scale items and structure, resulting in a more empirically robust eight-factor model. This final structure, comprising Acceptance Concerns, Concealment Motivation, Identity Uncertainty, Internalized Homonegativity, Difficult Process, Identity Affirmation, Identity Centrality, and Identity Superiority, provides a comprehensive and empirically sound framework for measuring the multifaceted complexity of identity among LGB individuals.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Multidimensional psychological scale

Format: 27 items (2012 Revision) rated on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from “Disagree Strongly” (1) to “Agree Strongly” (7). Scoring involves calculating the average of items within each subscale; specific items are designated for reverse scoring (R).

Language Available: English (Primary validation language)

Population Group: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) adults and adolescents (Sexual Minorities).

Age Group: Typically utilized with adult populations, but appropriate for older adolescents who are actively navigating and forming their sexual identity.

Population Details: Specifically designed for individuals who self-identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The focus is on the psychological experience and integration of sexual identity rather than merely sexual orientation or behavior. The scale is sensitive to differences in identity experiences related to gender and specific orientation (gay, lesbian, bisexual).

Test Methodology: Can be administered via pencil-and-paper or digital formats. Subscale scores are calculated as the mean of their respective items. Example scoring keys for the 2012 revision include: Acceptance Concerns (items 5, 9, 16); Concealment Motivation (items 1, 4, 19); and Internalized Homonegativity (items 2, 20, 27).

Keywords

LGB, Identity Formation, Psychometrics, Identity Confusion, Concealment, Identity Affirmation, Sexual Identity, Self-Acceptance, Measurement, Scale Revision.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS) was first published in 2000. The major revision, known as the LGBIS-Revision, was published in 2011, with subsequent research utilizing the instrument beginning in 2012. The instrument is generally available for academic and research use without proprietary restrictions. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.midss.org/sites/default/files/lgbis.pdf. Further information regarding the scale’s availability and application can be accessed via academic repositories: http://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac%3A151767.

Reference’s

Mohr, J., & Fassinger, R. (2000). Measuring dimensions of lesbian and gay male experience. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 33, 66–90.

Mohr, J., & Fassinger, R. (2006). Sexual Orientation Identity and Romantic Relationship Quality in Same-Sex Couples. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 1085-1100.

Mohr, J. J., & Kendra, M. S. (2011). Revision and extension of a multidimensional measure of sexual minority identity: The Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58, 234-45.

Mohr, J. J., & Kendra, M. S. (2012). The Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS). Measurement Instrument Database for the Social Science. Retrieved from www.midss.ie.

Feldman, Sarah Evans. (2012). The Impact of Outness and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Formation on Mental Health. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. PhD Dissertations.

Items of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS)

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

LGBIS- Revision, 2012

1. I prefer to keep my same-sex romantic relationships rather private.
2. If it were possible, I would choose to be straight.
3. I’m not totally sure what my sexual orientation is.
4. I keep careful control over who knows about my same-sex romantic relationships.
5. I often wonder whether others judge me for my sexual orientation.
6. I am glad to be an LGB person.
7. I look down on heterosexuals.
8. I keep changing my mind about my sexual orientation.
9. I can’t feel comfortable knowing that others judge me negatively for my sexual orientation.
10. I feel that LGB people are superior to heterosexuals.
11. My sexual orientation is an insignificant part of who I am.
12. Admitting to myself that I’m an LGB person has been a very painful process.
13. I’m proud to be part of the LGB community.
14. I can’t decide whether I am bisexual or homosexual.
15. My sexual orientation is a central part of my identity.
16. I think a lot about how my sexual orientation affects the way people see me.
17. Admitting to myself that I’m an LGB person has been a very slow process.
18. Straight people have boring lives compared with LGB people.
19. My sexual orientation is a very personal and private matter.
20. I wish I were heterosexual.
21. To understand who I am as a person, you have to know that I’m LGB.
22. I get very confused when I try to figure out my sexual orientation.
23. I have felt comfortable with my sexual identity just about from the start.
24. Being an LGB person is a very important aspect of my life.
25. I believe being LGB is an important part of me.
26. I am proud to be LGB.
27. I believe it is unfair that I am attracted to people of the same sex.

NOTE: Items 11 and 23 should be reverse scored. The response format is a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (Disagree Strongly) to 7 (Agree Strongly).