Revision, criterion validity, and multigroup assessment of the reactions to homosexuality scale

Abstract

Internalized homonegativity encompasses negative attitudes toward one's own sexual orientation and is associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes. The Reactions to Homosexuality Scale (Ross & Rosser, 1996), an instrument used to measure internalized homonegativity, has been criticized for including content irrelevant to the construct of internalized homonegativity. We revised the scale using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and identified a 7-item, 3-factor reduced version that demonstrated measurement invariance across racial/ethnic categorizations and between English and Spanish versions. We also investigated criterion validity by estimating correlations with hypothesized outcomes associated with outness, relationship status, sexual orientation, and gay community affiliation. The evidence of measurement invariance suggests that this scale is appropriate for pluralistic treatment or study groups.