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Abstract
This research investigated the utility of single-indicator measures of sexual orientation in examining group differences. Adolescents and young adults reported their sexual orientations, preferences, and partners. Results indicate that, (a) depending on the measure of sexual orientation, 10% to 22% cannot be categorized into a sexual orientation group using a single-indicator measure; (b) self-identified sexual orientation is often incongruent with preference and behavior; (c) incongruity differs by gender and self-identified sexual orientation; and (d) detected differences in gay/lesbian, bisexual, and straight individuals vary by measure of sexual orientation. These results indicate that classification of sexual orientation by single-indicator measures can lead to inconsistent conclusions across studies.
Acknowledgments
We thank the University of Arizona Prism Research Cluster and the Wingspan Youth Advisory Board for providing valuable comments on this article. This research was supported by Grant H79 TI5863 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and by a grant from the University of Arizona Institute for LGBT Studies to Sally Stevens. The views expressed here are ours and do not necessarily represent the policies or viewpoints of the funding agencies.