title: The Internalized Homophobia Scale for Vietnamese Sexual Minority Women: Conceptualization, Factor Structure, Reliability, and Associations With Hypothesized Correlates.
abstract: We developed the first Vietnamese Internalized Homophobia (IH) scale for use with Vietnamese sexual minority women (SMW). Drawing from existing IH scales in the international literature and based on prior qualitative research about SMW in the Viet Nam context, the scale covers two domains: self-stigma (negative attitudes toward oneself as a sexual minority person) and sexual prejudice (negative attitudes toward homosexuality/same-sex relations in general). Scale items, including items borrowed from existing scales and items based on local expressions, were reviewed and confirmed by members of the target population. Quantitative evaluation used data from an anonymous web-based survey of Vietnamese SMW, including those who identified as lesbian (n = 1187), or as bisexual (n = 641) and those who were unsure about their sexual identity (n = 353). The scale was found to consist of two highly correlated factors reflecting self-stigma (not normal/wholesome and self-reproach and wishing away same-sex sexuality) and one factor reflecting sexual prejudice, and to have excellent internal consistency. Construct validity was evidenced by subscale associations with a wide range of hypothesized correlates, including perceived sexual stigma, outness, social support, connection to other SMW, relationship quality, psychological well-being, anticipation of heterosexual marriage, and endorsement of same-sex marriage legalization. Self-stigma was more strongly associated with psychosocial correlates, and sexual prejudice was more associated with endorsement of legal same-sex marriage. The variations in these associations across the hypothesized correlates and across sexual identity groups were consistent with the minority stress model and the IH literature, and exhibited context-specific features, which are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Room 896, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. tnguye28@jhu.edu.|Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. tnguye28@jhu.edu.|Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. tnguye28@jhu.edu.|Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. tnguye28@jhu.edu.
authors.forename: Trang Quynh
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1653-5491
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Tonia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poteat
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bandeen-Roche
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: German
authors.affiliation: The ICS Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
authors.forename: Yen Hai
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: The ICS Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
authors.forename: Loan Kieu-Chau
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.|Health Policy and Strategy Institute, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
authors.forename: Nam Thi-Thu
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Knowlton
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D063509:Homophobia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology
keywords: Bisexual; Internalized homophobia; Lesbian; Sexual minority women; Sexual orientation