The Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale: Factor Analytic Evidence and Associations With Health and Well-Being

ABSTRACT

We tested the psychometric properties of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale. Findings included (1) a three-factor structure (i.e., Negative Identity, Identity Uncertainty, Identity Superiority); (2) less positive identities among HIV-positive persons, African Americans, males, and bisexuals; and (3) convergent patterns with subjective well-being and coping. Implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS)
• sexual identity
• coping
• mental health
• HIV

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Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Notes

1. Six participants from an original sample of 272 individuals were missing complete LGBIS data, preventing multiple imputation or other recommended approaches in the literature (they were therefore dropped). No other data were missing concerning LGBIS responses. As outlined by DeCarlo (1997), both univariate and multivariate normality were examined. Indicators of univariate skewness and kurtosis for LGBIS data were within acceptable ranges outlined by West, Finch, and Curran (1995). Multivariate kurtosis was within acceptable range (Anscombe & Glynn's test p =.07), but multivariate skew was violated (Small's test p <.001). Following Mohr and Kendra (2011) who also detected nonnormal LGBIS scores (with respect to both kurtosis and skewness), we employed factor analytic procedures robust enough to perform well with nonnormal data. We elected to do so in order to capture the naturally occurring self-reported range of LGB identity as it pertains to factor structure and validity.

2. Tables containing full factor loading, path estimate, and latent variable correlations available as supplemental materials (available online at http://mec.sagepub.com/content/by/supplemental-data).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robert J. Cramer

Robert J. Cramer is an associate professor of Community & Enviornmental Health at Old Dominion University, and a member of the Viriginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology. His research interests include suicide prevention, sexual orientation minority identity and health, and community violence.

Alixandra C. Burks

Alixandra C. Burks is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Sam Houston State University. Her research interests include gender and sexuality issues, and forensic psychology.

Frank D. Golom

Frank D. Golom is an assistant professor of Psychology at Loyola University, Maryland. His research interests include sociodemograpic differences in the workplace, LGBT identity and related issues, and organizational change processes.

Caroline H. Stroud

Caroline H. Stroud is a psychologist at Atascadero State Hospital (California). Her research interests center on LGBT issues, forensic assessent, and suicide risk assessment.

James L. Graham

James L. Graham is a nurse practitioner at Southwest CARE Center. His research interests include HIV, vulnerable populations, vulnerable population health, and LGBT issues.