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Salud & Sociedad: investigaciones en psicologia de la salud y psicologia social

On-line version ISSN 0718-7475

Abstract

RUBIA, José Moral De La  and  O, Adrián Valle De La. Psychometric properties of the evaluation scale of externalized homophobia among mexican students of health sciences. Salud & Sociedad [online]. 2013, vol.4, n.3, pp. 230-247. ISSN 0718-7475.

The aims of this paper are to study the internal consistency, factor structure, distribution, convergence validy, and construct validity of the Klamen, Grossman and Kopacz (1999) Homophobia (HF) Scale, and to estimate the percentage of cases of externalized homophobia. The HF Scale, the Attitude Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale, and the Internalized Homonegativity Scale were applied to a non-probability sample of 231 Mexican health sciences students (121 women and 103 men). The Homophobia Scale reduced to 8 items (HF-8) had unidimensional structure, high internal consistency, convergent validity (high correlation with open rejection of homosexuality and moderate correlation with subtle rejection of homosexuality), and construct validity (the means of the non-heterosexual and those having gay or HIV-infected friends were significantly lower than the means of heterosexual persons and participants not having gay or HIV-infected friends). HF-8 total score distribution followed a normal curve. The percentage of cases of externalized homophobia was lower than 1. It is therefore concluded that HF-8 Scale is a reliable and valid instrument, and that the level of externalized homophobia is low. Use of the HF-8 Scale is suggested for the assessment of externalized homophobia in Mexican health sciences students, and further study is recommended to study its psychometric properties in other populations.

Keywords : Homophobia; homonegativity; attitude; sexual orientation.

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