title: Correlates of a Single-Item Indicator Versus a Multi-Item Scale of Outness About Same-Sex Attraction.
abstract: In this study, we investigated if a single-item indicator measured the degree to which people were open about their same-sex attraction ("out") as accurately as a multi-item scale. For the multi-item scale, we used the Outness Inventory, which includes three subscales: family, world, and religion. We examined correlations between the single- and multi-item measures; between the single-item indicator and the subscales of the multi-item scale; and between the measures and internalized homonegativity, social attitudes towards homosexuality, and depressive symptoms. In addition, we calculated Tjur's R (2) as a measure of predictive power of the single-item indicator, multi-item scale, and subscales of the multi-item scale in predicting two health-related outcomes: depressive symptoms and condomless anal sex with multiple partners. There was a strong correlation between the single- and multi-item measures (r = 0.73). Furthermore, there were strong correlations between the single-item indicator and each subscale of the multi-item scale: family (r = 0.70), world (r = 0.77), and religion (r = 0.50). In addition, the correlations between the single-item indicator and internalized homonegativity (r = -0.63), social attitudes towards homosexuality (r = -0.38), and depression (r = -0.14) were higher than those between the multi-item scale and internalized homonegativity (r = -0.55), social attitudes towards homosexuality (r = -0.21), and depression (r = -0.13). Contrary to the premise that multi-item measures are superior to single-item measures, our collective findings indicate that the single-item indicator of outness performs better than the multi-item scale of outness.
authors: Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2620, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. Johnny.M.Wilkerson@uth.tmc.edu.
authors: J Michael
authors: JM
authors: Wilkerson
authors: Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Syed W
authors: SW
authors: Noor
authors: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors: Dylan L
authors: DL
authors: Galos
authors: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors: B R Simon
authors: BR
authors: Rosser
mesh_terms: D006716:Homosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012747:Sexual Partners; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Internalized homophobia; Male homosexuality; Outness; Self-acceptance; Sexual orientation