Internalized Homophobia Scale

Abstract

The Internalized Homophobia Scale (IHS) is a specialized psychometric instrument developed primarily for use with gay men. Its core objective is to quantitatively measure the degree to which an individual has adopted and integrated negative societal attitudes and beliefs regarding homosexuality into their self-concept and identity as a gay person. The scale consists of 20 items, 9 of which were adapted from the Nungesser Homosexual Attitudes Inventory (1983), with the remaining 11 items developed by the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Measuring internalized homophobia is critical due to its known detrimental effects on mental health, often correlating significantly with psychological distress, depression, feelings of shame, and low self-esteem in gay and lesbian individuals.

Keywords

Internalized Homophobia, Gay Men, Homosexuality, Psychological Distress, Demoralization, Self-Esteem, Psychometric Scale, HIV, Mental Health

Authors

Glenn J. Wagner

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Internalized Homophobia Scale (IHS) is to provide a standardized, systematic measure of the internalization of negative societal attitudes directed toward homosexuality. This measurement allows researchers and clinicians to quantify a crucial psychological stressor experienced by gay individuals.

The scale was developed to move beyond clinical reports and provide quantifiable data for research studies, particularly concerning the mental health outcomes of gay men, including those living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). By quantifying internalized homophobia, the scale facilitates targeted interventions aimed at mitigating associated negative psychological effects suchs as guilt, shame, and feelings of worthlessness, thereby improving overall quality of life.

Construct

The IHS measures the psychological construct of Internalized Homophobia. This construct is defined as the direction of societal prejudice and stigma regarding homosexuality inward, leading to negative beliefs about oneself as a gay individual. These beliefs become integrated into one’s self-image and identity, resulting in self-critical attitudes and emotional distress.

Research utilizing the IHS has consistently demonstrated that higher levels of internalized homophobia are associated with several adverse mental health outcomes, including demoralization, general psychological distress, low self-esteem, and avoidant coping mechanisms. Thus, the scale serves as a proxy for measuring the negative psychosocial impact of societal stigma on the individual’s mental well-being.

Validity

The validity of the Internalized Homophobia Scale has been supported through correlational studies demonstrating its association with established measures of psychological health and identity integration. The construct was found to be positively correlated with key mental health indicators:

• Demoralization: r = 0.49 (Wagner et al., 1994, 1996)
• Global psychological distress: r = 0.37 (Wagner et al., 1994, 1996)
• Depression: r = 0.36 (Wagner et al., 1994, 1996)

Furthermore, the scale demonstrated construct validity by correlating significantly with identity acceptance measures: it was positively correlated with the age at which one first accepted being gay (r = 0.46) and negatively correlated with the degree of integration into the gay community (r = -0.54), suggesting that greater internalization of negative attitudes impedes positive identity development and community integration. Longitudinal research among HIV-positive gay men who were asymptomatic showed predictive validity, where initial internalized homophobia scores correlated strongly (r = 0.61) with higher levels of distress two years later, highlighting its lasting negative impact.

Reliability

The internal consistency reliability of the IHS was established using a sample of 142 gay men. The total summed score demonstrated strong reliability, yielding a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.92 (Wagner, Serafini, Rabkin, Remien, & Williams, 1994). This high coefficient indicates that the 20 items within the scale measure the underlying construct consistently and reliably.

Based on this robust statistical evidence, combined with the results from the factor analysis, it is recommended that the total summed score of the 20 items be utilized as a single, homogeneous measure reflective of overall internalized homophobia.

Factor Analysis

A principal components factor analysis employing a varimax rotation was conducted on a sample of 142 gay men. This analysis included the 20 IHS items, a 22-item scale of demoralization (Dohrenwend et al., 1987), and the 7-item depression subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis & Melisaratos, 1983).

The combined item set resulted in a two-factor solution. Significantly, nearly all items from the IHS (19 out of 20, with Item 4 being the exception) loaded strongly onto Factor 1, confirming that the IHS items form a coherent measure of internalized attitudes. The items from the depression scale and most of the demoralization scale items loaded onto Factor 2. The clear separation of the IHS items onto Factor 1 validates its distinction from general psychological distress measures like depression and demoralization, although correlations between the constructs were noted.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological screening scale

Format: 20 items, 5-point Likert-type scale

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Gay men

Age Group: Adults (specific age range not provided, but used in research populations)

Population Details: Initially validated on a sample of 142 gay men, including studies focused on HIV-positive gay men.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their agreement with each statement on a 5-point scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Administration requires approximately 5 minutes. Scoring yields a total score ranging from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater internalized homophobia. The scale includes 10 positively keyed items and 10 negatively keyed items.

Keywords

IHS, Gay Identity, Self-Concept, Stigma, Internal Consistency, Psychological Measurement, Factor Structure, Sexual Minority Stress

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Current affiliation email)

Correspondence Address: Glenn J. Wagner, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90407

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions & Fee: Information on specific permissions or fees for clinical use is not provided in the source content. Users should contact the corresponding author, Glenn J. Wagner, for current usage guidelines.

Test Year: Circa 1994 (Based on earliest published validation studies).

Reference’s

• Derogatis, L. R., & Melisaratos, N. (1983) The Brief Symptom Inventory: An introductory report. Psychological Medicine, 13, 595–605.
• Dohrenwend, B. P., Shrout, P. E., Egri, G., & Mendelsohn, F. S. (1987). Nonspecific psychological distress and other dimensions of psychopathology. Archives in General Psychiatry, 9, 114–122.
• Nungesser, L. G. (1983). Homosexual acts, actors and identities. New York, NY: Praeger.
• Wagner, G., Brondolo, E., & Rabkin, J.G. (1996). Internalized homophobia in a sample of HIV+ gay men, and its relationship to psychological distress, coping, and illness progression. Journal of Homosexuality, 32(2), 91–106.
• Wagner, G., Serafini, J., Rabkin, J., Remien, R., & Williams, J. (1994). Integration of one’s religion and homosexuality: A weapon against internalized homophobia? Journal of Homosexuality, 26(4), 91–109.

Items of the Internalized Homophobia Scale

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

Instructions: The following are some statements that individuals can make about being gay. Please read each one carefully and decide the extent to which you agree with the statement, then circle the number that best reflects how much you agree or disagree with the statement.

Response format:	1	Strongly Disagree
	2	Disagree
	3	Neutral
	4	Agree
	5	Strongly Agree

1. Male homosexuality is a natural expression of sexuality in human males.‌

2. I wish I were heterosexual.

3. When I am sexually attracted to another gay man, I do not mind if someone else knows how I feel.

4. Most problems that homosexuals have come from their status as an oppressed minority, not from their homosexuality per se.

5. Life as a homosexual is not as fulfilling as life as a heterosexual.

6. I am glad to be gay.

7. Whenever I think a lot about being gay, I feel critical about myself.

8. I am confident that my homosexuality does not make me inferior.

9. Whenever I think a lot about being gay, I feel depressed.

10. If it were possible, I would accept the opportunity to be completely heterosexual.

11. I wish I could become more sexually attracted to women.

12. If there were a pill that could change my sexual orientation, I would take it.

13. I would not give up being gay even if I could.

14. Homosexuality is deviant.

15. It would not bother me if I had children who were gay.

16. Being gay is a satisfactory and acceptable way of life for me.

17. If I were heterosexual, I would probably be happier.

18. Most gay people end up lonely and isolated.

19. For the most part, I do not care who knows I am gay.

20. I have no regrets about being gay.