Indirect self-destructiveness in homosexual individuals.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine the syndrome of indirect self-destructiveness in homosexual individuals.


METHODS
156 homosexual individuals (111 males, 45 females) aged 25-35 (mean age of 29.6) and 561 heterosexual individuals (400 males, 161 females) aged 24-36 (mean age of 28.2) were studied with regard to indirect self-destructiveness. The research instrument was the Polish version of the Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale (CS-DS) including: Transgression and Risk (A1), Poor Health Maintenance (A2), Personal and Social Neglects (A3), Lack of Planfulness (A4) and Helplessness and Passiveness in the face of problems (A5).


RESULTS
Homosexual individuals obtained significantly higher scores than heterosexual ones in numerous scales: Indirect Self-Destructiveness - global (general) index (p<0.001), A1-Transgression and Risk (p<0.001), A4-Lack of Planfulness (p<0.001) and A5-Helplessness, Passiveness (p=0.04) There were no significant differences in the Poor Health Maintenance scale (A2). They also achieved significantly higher scores in the subscales assessing using of psychoactive substances. Factor analysis revealed the presence of only one factor both in the group of homosexual and heterosexual individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
The research results indicate that, as compared with the group of heterosexual individuals, in the group of homosexuals there occurs a worsening in psychological functioning, which may be also manifested by an increased indirect self-destructiveness index. The increased intensity of indirect self-destructiveness in homosexual individuals may be considered a manifestation of worsened psychological functioning. The homosexual individuals look after their health similarly to heterosexuals.
1Department of Psychology, The Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Piotrków Trybunalski Branch.
Konstantinos-
K
Tsirigotis
Institute of Applied Psychology, Social University of Sciences in Lodz.
Wojciech
W
Gruszczyński
Organic and Pharmaceutical Technology Group, Chemistry Department, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland.
Marta Afrodyta
MA
Tsirigotis-Maniecka
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003859:Dependent Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
homosexuality; indirect self-destructiveness