title: 'Ego-dystonicity' in homosexuality: An Indian perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Homosexual persons are targets of verbal and physical abuse, discrimination and face legal disadvantages in many countries, including India. These external factors could play a role in determining discomfort with their sexuality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We ascertained the association between ego-dystonicity of sexual orientation and indices of perceived acceptance, stigma and awareness of possible normative lifestyles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one self-identified adult homosexual men were assessed using online questionnaires that covered information including their socio-demographic details; a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) that measured their degree of discomfort with their sexuality; Reactions to Homosexuality Scale, Perceived Acceptance Scale, Modified China Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) Stigma scale; and trait version of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The participants were also asked to provide a written narrative of their experiences which influenced their comfort with their sexuality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Discomfort with sexuality significantly correlated with education, acceptance by friends and family, legal disadvantages, awareness and accessibility to non-heteronormative lifestyles and support systems and trait affect. Only acceptance by friends and awareness showed significance on linear regression. Qualitative analyses revealed external attributions for discomfort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modifying external factors, reducing legal restrictions and improving societal acceptance and support systems could reduce 'ego-dystonicity'. 'Ego-dystonicity' as a determinant for psychiatric classification and intervention needs to be reexamined.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India amisebastian@gmail.com.
authors: Ami Sebastian
authors: AS
authors: Maroky
authors: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India.
authors: Aswin
authors: A
authors: Ratheesh
authors: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India.
authors: Biju
authors: B
authors: Viswanath
authors: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India.
authors: Suresh Bada
authors: SB
authors: Math
authors: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India.
authors: Channapatna R
authors: CR
authors: Chandrashekar
authors: Department of Child Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India.
authors: Shekhar P
authors: SP
authors: Seshadri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004532:Ego; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012649:Self Concept; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Homosexuality; ego-dystonicity; sexual minority