The Self-Acceptance of Sexuality Inventory (SASI): Development and validation.

Abstract

King's College LondonDue to exposure to societal stigma, self-acceptance of sexuality can be a challenging process for individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or with other minority sexual identities (LGBQϩ). Quantitative research in this area is limited, and there is a lack of appropriately validated self-report questionnaires to assess self-acceptance of sexuality. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to develop a measure of self-acceptance of sexuality. Items for the new Self-Acceptance of Sexuality Inventory (SASI) were developed in consultation with psychologists and members of the general population identifying as LGBQϩ. From a sample of participants experiencing nonheterosexual attractions (N ϭ 1,619), dimensionality (via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes), measurement invariance, and reliability were assessed. Construct validity of the SASI was investigated in a subsample (n ϭ 1,217) via hypothesized associations with alternative measures of self-acceptance, sexualityspecific processes, resilience factors, and mental health outcomes. Differences in SASI scores were also investigated between those who identified as LGBQϩ and those who were unsure/questioning. The final version of the SASI included 10 items comprising two factors. The SASI had satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and evidence of good construct validity. Our research provides evidence of different constructions of self-acceptance across people with different sexual orientations, gender identities, sex assigned at birth, and ages. The SASI is a promising new measure of selfacceptance of sexuality. Further investigations into different understandings of self-acceptance are required. Public Significance StatementThis study developed a self-report questionnaire to measure self-acceptance of sexuality, which may represent an important positive identity development and resilience process for lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and other sexual-minority (LGBQϩ) individuals. The new measure, which has satisfactory reliability and validity, has the potential to be useful for research, clinical practice, and our theoretical understanding of LGBQϩ individuals' acceptance of their sexuality.

Gender- and sexuality-minoritised adolescents in DBT: a reflexive thematic analysis of minority-specific treatment targets and experience

“…Participants highlighted a number of identity-related dilemmas, such as identity confusion and acceptance, which had an impact on wellbeing and were considered as important for targeting in DBT, congruent with identity development and minority stress research (Camp et al ., 2020; Camp et al ., 2022; Cass, 1979; Hendricks and Testa, 2012; Meyer, 2003). It may also be particularly important to focus on identity in DBT for adolescents given the importance of this developmental stage for identity evolution and acceptance (Hall et al ., 2021; Katz-Wise et al ., 2017; Meyer, 2003; Savin-Williams and Ream, 2007).…”

“…Influential models for the first author included the minority stress (Meyer, 2003; Hendricks and Testa, 2012), psychological mediation frameworks (Hatzenbuehler, 2009), models detailing a social justice lens on scientific endeavours in this area (e.g. Pachankis, 2018), and self-acceptance models (Camp et al ., 2020; Camp et al ., 2022). The first author also has particular interests in frameworks adapting DBT and similar models to minoritised groups (e.g.…”

“I Come Out Because I Love You”: Positive Coming Out Experiences among Latter-day Saint Sexual and Gender Minorities

“…We further found that LDS SGMs reported coming out experiences were beneficial when they focused on self-understanding and self-acceptance. Self-understanding and acceptance are helpful for SGMs more generally in navigating their sexual and/or gender identities (Camp et al 2020b). It may be that increasing self-understanding and self-acceptance allows SGMs to approach coming out conversations with greater knowledge of who they are and how to vocalize that to others.…”

Measurement Invariance across Sexual Orientation for Measures of Sexual Attitudes

“…Given that the description and explanation of how the dimensions that conform sexuality work involves an analysis through groups and collectives defined, among other criteria, by gender and sexual orientation, measurement invariance testing acquires an unquestionable importance in the field of human sexuality. In this sense, the production in recent years reflects the interest in examining the factorial invariance of scales that assess different dimensions of sexuality [12,18,25,42,[59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67]. The purpose of this study was to examine the measurement invariance across sexual orientation of the Spanish versions of three scales that assess sexual attitudes: the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) [23] by Vallejo-Medina et al [28], the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy [43] by Desvarieux et al [44], and the Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory (NATMI) [51] by Cervilla et al [42].…”