Although several good instruments have been developed to measure homonegativity, a comparative psychometric analysis of such instruments has not been published since Schwanberg (1993). The current investigation draws on several samples (including an annual survey of introductory human sexuality students) to examine the psychometric properties of 3 commonly used measures of homonegativity: Hudson and Ricketts' (1980) Index of Homophobia, Herek's (1984Herek's ( , 1988 Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men, and Morrison and Morrison's (2002) Modern Homonegativity Scale. The validity of each instrument was assessed, and each demonstrated approximately normally distributed data, high reliability, and a unidimensional factor structure. The 3 instruments are strongly intercorrelated and demonstrate a high degree of both convergent and discriminant validity. It is suggested that the Modern Homonegativity Scale has a slight advantage because it results in somewhat more normally distributed data than the other 2 scales.
The current study evaluated the effects of a homonegativity awareness workshop on attitudes toward homosexuality and examined individual difference variables associated with attitude change. Participants included 71 female and 43 male students (approximate mean age = 23). Compared to a control group of introductory psychology students, participants were less homonegative and erotophobic (F(1, 359) = 62.47 and 15.92, ps < .001) after the workshop. Implications for contact with gay and lesbian persons through structured intervention programs on attitudes toward homosexuality are discussed in terms of both the practice and theory of reducing prejudice and discrimination.
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