Italian adaptation of an instrument for measuring of the internalized omonegativity

Journal title RIVISTA DI SESSUOLOGIA CLINICA
Author/s Paolo Antonelli
Publishing Year 2015 Issue 2015/1 Language Italian
Pages 24 P. 47-70 File size 123 KB
DOI 10.3280/RSC2015-001003
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

Below, you can see the article first page

If you want to buy this article in PDF format, you can do it, following the instructions to buy download credits

Article preview

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

Since in the Italian test view lacked a validated instrument for measuring internalized homonegativity in gay men and lesbians, the present study has had the objective of adapting to the Italian context the test Internalized Homonegativity Inventory (Mayfield, 2001). Findings have attested that the test in the Italian version shows good psychometric properties, as demonstrated through the verification of reliability as internal consistency, the measurement of correlations between the test scales, the verification of indices of validity of construct, discriminant, of criterion. Findings about the factorial structure have indicated, as for the original version, a structure of internalized homonegativity consisting of the three distinct dimensions of personal homonegativity, gay/lesbian affirmation, morality of homosexuality. Invariance analysis has allowed to conclude that this instrument is metrically invariant in relation to gender. In summary it is possible for practitioners and researchers to get in Italy valid and reliable measures of internalized homonegativity in gay men and lesbians by applying the Internalized Homonegativity Inventory.

Keywords: Adaptation, Italian version, test, internalized homonegativity, gay man, lesbian.

  1. Barbaranelli C., Caprara G.V. e Steca P. (2002). BFA: Big Five Adjectives. MANUALE. Firenze: Giunti O.S. Organizzazioni Speciali.
  2. Bentler P.M. (1990). Comparative fit indexes in structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 107: 238-246. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.23
  3. Berg R.C., Ross M.W., Weatherburn P. and Schmidt A.J. (2013). Structural and environmental factors are associated with internalised homonegativity in men who have sex with men: Findings from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS) in 38 countries. Social Science & Medicine, 78: 61-69. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.11.03
  4. Berghe W.V., Dewaele A., Cox N. and Vincke J. (2010). Minority-Specific Determinants of Mental Well-Being Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40: 153-166. DOI: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2009.00567.
  5. Brady S., Busse W.J. (1994). The Gay Identity Questionnaire: A Brief Measure of Homosexual Identity Formation. Journal of Homosexuality, 26: 1-22. DOI: 10.1300/J082v26n04_0
  6. Cass V.C. (1979). Homosexual identity formation: a theoretical model. Journal of Homosexuality, 4: 219-235. DOI: 10.1300/J082v04n03_0
  7. Cheung G.W., Rensvold R.B. (2002). Evaluating Goodness-of-Fit Indexes for Testing Measurement Invariance. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 9: 233-255. DOI: 10.1207/S15328007SEM0902_
  8. Mayfield W. (2001). The Development of an Internalized Homonegativity Inventory for Gay Men. Journal of Homosexuality, 41: 53-76. DOI: 10.1300/J082v41n02_0
  9. Cohler B.J., Hammack P.L. (2007). The Psychological World of the Gay Teenager: Social Change, Narrative, and “Normality”. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36: 47-59. DOI: 10.1007/s10964-006-9110-1CrowneD.P.,MarloweD.(1960).Anewscaleofsocialdesirabilityindependentofpsychopathology.JournalofConsultingPsychology,24:349-354.DOI:10.1037/h004735
  10. Fassinger R.E., Arseneau J.R. (2007). “I’d Rather Get Wet Than Be Under That Umbrella”: Differentiating the Experiences and Identities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People. In: Bieschke K.J., Perez R.M. and DeBord K.A., editor, Handbook of counseling and psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Feinstein B.A., Davila J. and Yoneda A. (2012). Self-concept and self-stigma in lesbians and gay men. Psychology and Sexuality, 3: 161-177. DOI: 10.1080/19419899.2011.59254
  11. Feinstein B.A., Goldfried M.R. and Davila J. (2012). The Relationship Between Experiences of Discrimination and Mental Health Among Lesbians and Gay Men: An Examination of Internalized Homonegativity and Rejection Sensitivity as Potential Mechanisms. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80: 917-927. DOI: 10.1037/a002942
  12. Flora D.B., Curran P.J. (2004). An empirical evaluation of alternative methods of estimation for confirmatory factor analysis with ordinal data. Psychological Methods, 9: 466-491. DOI: 10.1037/1082-989X.9.4.46
  13. Fonseca-Pedrero E., Sierra-Baigrie S., Lemos-Giráldez S., Paino M. and Muñiz J. (2012). Dimensional Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Youth Self-Report Across Gender and Age. Journal of Adolescent Health, 50: 148-153. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.05.01
  14. Frost D.M., Meyer I.H. (2009). Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality Among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56: 97-109. DOI: 10.1037/a001284
  15. Giannini M., Schuldberg D., Di Fabio A. e Gargaro D. (2008). Misurare l’ottimismo: proprietà psicometriche della versione italiana del Life Orientation Test ‒ Revised (LOT-R). COUNSELING, 1: 73-83.
  16. Hamilton C.J., Mahalik J.R. (2009). Minority Stress, Masculinity, and Social Norms Predicting Gay Men’s Health Risk Behaviors. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56: 132-141. DOI: 10.1037/a001444
  17. Hatzenbuehler M.L. (2009). How Does Sexual Minority Stigma “Get Under the Skin”? A Psychological Mediation Framework. Psychological Bulletin, 135: 707-730. DOI: 10.1037/a001644
  18. Herek G.M. (2009). Hate crimes and stigma-related experiences among sexual minority adults in the United States: Prevalence estimates from a national probability sample. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 24: 54-74. DOI: 10.1177/088626050831647
  19. Herek G.M., Gillis J.R. and Cogan J.C. (2009). Internalized Stigma Among Sexual Minority Adults: Insights From a Social Psychological Perspective. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56: 32-43. DOI: 10.1037/a001467
  20. Hu L.T., Bentler P.M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6: 1-55. DOI: 10.1080/10705519909540118KertznerR.M.,MeyerI.H.,FrostD.M.andStirrattM.J.(2009).Socialandpsychologicalwell-beinginlesbians,gaymen,andbisexuals:Theeffectsofrace,gender,age,andsexualidentity.AmericanJournalofOrthopsychiatry,79:500-510.DOI:10.1037/a001684
  21. Manganelli Rattazzi A.M., Canova L. e Marcorin R. (2000). La desiderabilità sociale. Un’analisi di forme brevi della scala di Marlowe e Crowne. TPM – Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 7: 5-17.
  22. Meyer I.H. (2003). Prejudice, Social Stress, and Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations: Conceptual Issues and Research Evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129: 674-697. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.67
  23. Muñiz J. (2009). The role of EFPA in setting standards for tests and test use. Paper presented at the 11th European Congress of Psychology, Oslo, 7-10 July.
  24. Muthén L.K., Muthén B.O. (2004). Mplus: The comprehensive modeling program for applied researchers. User’s guide (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Muthén & Muthén.
  25. Newcomb M.E., Mustanski B. (2010). Internalized homophobia and internalizing mental health problems: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 30: 1019-1029. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.07.00
  26. Newcomb M.E., Mustanski B. (2011). Moderators of the Relationship between Internalized Homophobia and Risky Sexual Behavior in Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Meta-Analysis. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40: 189-199. DOI: 10.1007/s10508-009-9573-
  27. Nungesser L.G. (1983). Homosexual acts, actors, and identities. New York: Praeger. Pachankis J.E., Goldfried M.R. (2004). Clinical Issues in Working with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 41: 227-246. DOI: 10.1037/0033-3204.41.3.22
  28. Prezza M., Trombaccia F.R. e Armento L. (1997). La scala dell’autostima di Rosenberg: Traduzione e validazione Italiana. Bollettino di Psicologia Applicata, 223: 35-44.
  29. Reise S.P., Widaman K.F. and Pugh R.H. (1993). Confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory: Two approaches for exploring measurement invariance. Psychological Bulletin, 114: 552-566. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.114.3.55
  30. Rosenberg M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  31. Ross M.W., Rosser B.R.S. and Smolenski D. (2010). The Importance of Measuring Internalized Homophobia/Homonegativity. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39: 1207-1208. DOI: 10.1007/s10508-010-9634-
  32. Rosser B.R.S., Bockting W.O., Ross M.W., Miner M.H. and Coleman E. (2008). The Relationship between Homosexuality, Internalized Homo-Negativity, and Mental Health in Men Who Have Sex with Men. Journal of Homosexuality, 55: 185-203. DOI: 10.1080/00918360802129394RowenC.J.,MalcolmJ.P.(2003).CorrelatesofInternalizedHomophobiaandHomosexualIdentityFormationinaSampleofGayMen.JournalofHomosexuality,43:77-92.DOI:10.1300/J082v43n02_0
  33. Russell G.M, Bohan J.S. (2006). The Case of Internalized Homophobia: Theory and/as Practice. Theory & Psychology, 16: 343-366. DOI: 10.1177/095935430606428
  34. Ryff C.D. (1995). Psychological Well-Being in Adult Life. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 4: 99-104.
  35. Saucier G. (1994). Mini-Markers: A Brief Version of Goldberg's Unipolar Big-Five Markers. Journal of Personality Assessment, 63: 506-516. DOI: 10.1207/s15327752jpa6303_
  36. Scheier M.F., Carver C.S. and Bridges M.W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67: 1063-1078. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.106
  37. Sirigatti S., Stefanile C., Giannetti E., Iani L., Penzo I. e Mazzeschi A. (2009). Assessment of factor structure of Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scales in Italian adolescents. Bollettino di Psicologia Applicata, 259: 30-50.
  38. Steiger J.H., Lind J.M. (1980). Statistically based test for the number of common factors. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of Psychometric Society, Iowa City, IA.
  39. Szymanski D.M., Kashubeck-West S. and Meyer J. (2008). Internalized Heterosexism: Measurement, Psychosocial Correlates, and Research Directions. The Counseling Psychologist, 36: 525-574. DOI: 10.1177/001100000730948
  40. Tucker L.R., Lewis C. (1973). The reliability coefficient for maximum likelihood factor analysis. Psychometrika, 38: 1-10. DOI: 10.1007/BF0229117
  41. Vandenberg R.J. (2002). Toward a Further Understanding of and Improvement in Measurement Invariance Methods and Procedures. Organizational Research Methods, 5: 139-158. DOI: 10.1177/109442810200500200

Paolo Antonelli, L’adattamento italiano di uno strumento per la misura dell’omonegatività interiorizzata in "RIVISTA DI SESSUOLOGIA CLINICA" 1/2015, pp 47-70, DOI: 10.3280/RSC2015-001003