Impact of belief in a competitive world and internalized homophobia on psychological well-being

Relevance. Our work is devoted to the analysis of such factors of the psychological well-being of homosexual men as belief in a competitive world and internalized homophobia. The study of these factors is important, since they form the image of the world and the image of oneself, which create the foundation for the perception of one's achievements in the social world and self-acceptance. Since modern society maintains negative attitudes towards homosexuality, especially male homosexuality, we assume that along with the assimilation of these prejudices, an image of the world can be formed in which it is necessary to remain vigilant and expect a “dirty trick” from others, which will negatively affect the psychological well-being of gays. 

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of belief in a competitive world and internalized homophobia on psychological well-being among homosexual men.

Research methods and sampling: methods of K. Ryff “Psychological well-being”, J. Duckitt “Jungle world beliefs” and W. Mayfield “Internalized homonegativity”. The study involved 68 men who identified themselves as homosexuals.

The results of the study showed that internalized homophobia makes a greater contribution to psychological well-being, while the role of faith in a competitive world is significantly less important. At the same time, acceptance of one's homosexuality contributes to psychological well-being, understood by K. Ryff as a positive functioning of the individual, and faith in a competitive world negatively affects psychological well-being. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the social outlook and self-attitude of the individual play a significant role in psychological well-being.

References

Akramova I.A., Minullina A.F., Shaehov Z.Sh. Projavlenie i vzaimosvjaz' adaptacionnogo potenciala lichnosti i perfekcionizma v professional'noj dejatel'nosti muzhchin-gomoseksualov. V mire nauchnyh otkrytij. № 11-6 (59). 2014. S. 2406–2421.

Arias A. C., Herazo E., & Oviedo L. (2015). Internalized homophobia in homosexual men: a qualitative study. Duazary, 12 (2). Р. 140–146.

Belinskaja E.P., Savinkina A.O. Social'no-psihologicheskie problemy zdorov'ja // Chelovek Rabotajushhij. Mezhdisciplinarnyj podhod v psihologii zdorov'ja. Pod red. K.A. Bochavera, A.B. Danilova. Moscow, 2018. S. 7–37. (in Russ.)

Biss W.J., Horne S.G. (2005). Sexual satisfaction as more than a gendered concept: The roles of psychological well-being and sexual orientation. Journal of Constructivist Psychology. Vol. 18. № 1. Р. 25–38. doi.org/10.1080/10720530590523044

Duckitt J., Wagner C., Du Plessis I., & Birum I. (2002). The psychological bases of ideology and prejudice: Testing a dual process model. Journal of personality and social psychology. 83 (1). Р. 75–93. DOI 10.1037/0022-3514.83.1.75

Erzin A.I., Semenova T.S. V bor'be so stigmoj. Psihologicheskoe blagopoluchie gomoseksual'nyh podrostkov. Moscow, Biblio-Globus. 2016. (in Russ.)

Erzin A.I., Semenova T.S., Antohin E.Ju. Cherty lichnosti i rannie dezadaptivnye shemy kak prediktory suicidal'nogo riska u podrostkov-gomoseksualov. Suicidologija. T. 8. № 4 (29). 2017. S. 81–90. (in Russ.)

Frost D.M., LeBlanc A.J. (2014). Nonevent stress contributes to mental health disparities based on sexual orientation: Evidence from a personal projects analysis. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 84 (5). № 5. Р. 557–566. doi.org/10.1037/ort0000024

Gulevich O.A., Anikeenok, O.A., Bezmenova, I.K. Social'nye verovanija: adaptacija metodik Dzh. Dakkita. Psihologija. Zhurnal Vysshej shkoly jekonomiki. № 11 (2). 2014. S. 68–89. (in Russ.)

Kertzner R.M., Meyer I.H., Frost D.M., Stirratt M.J. (2009). Social and psychological well-being in lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals: The effects of race, gender, age, and sexual identity. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 79 (4). Р. 500–510. doi.org/10.1037/a0016848

Malysheva N.G., Golynchik E.O. “Zakon o zaprete propagandy gomoseksualizma” ili “gomofobnyj zakon”?: process konstruirovanija social'noj problemy // Gendernye aspekty sociogumanitarnogo znanija III: materialy Tret'ej Vserossijskoj (s mezhdunarodnym uchastiem) nauchnoj konferencii studentov, aspirantov i molodyh uchenyh (Perm. gos. nac. issl. un-t, 5–7 dekabrja 2013). Perm', 2013. (in Russ.)

Malysheva N.G., Shaehov Z.D. Ob issledovanijah psihologicheskogo blagopoluchija gomo- i biseksualov v sovremennoj psihologii: obzor literatury. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Serija 14. Psihologija. № 2. 2019. S. 145–163. doi: 10.11621/vsp.2019.02.145. (in Russ.)

Mayfield W. (2001). The Development of an Internalized Homonegativity Inventory for Gay Men. Journal of Homosexuality, 41 (2), Р. 53–76. doi:10.1300/j082v41n02_04

Meanley S., Pingel E.S., Bauermeister J.A. (2016). Psychological well-being among religious and spiritual-identified young gay and bisexual men. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 13 (1), Р. 35–45.

Melkov S.V. Osobennosti samosoznanija muzhchin so stigmatizirovannoj seksual'noj identichnost'ju. Moscow, MGPPU 2017. (in Russ.)

Meyer I.H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence // Psychological Bulletin. № 129 (5). Р. 674–697.

Meyer I.H. (2007). Prejudice and discrimination as social stressors // The health of sexual minorities. In: I.H. Meyer & M.E. Northridge (Eds.). (рр. 242–267). New York, 2007. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-31334-4_10

Molero F., Silván-Ferrero P., Fuster-Ruiz de Apodaca M.J. et al. (2017). Subtle and blatant perceived discrimination and well-being in lesbians and gay men in Spain: The role of social support. Psicothema, 29 (4). Р. 475–481.

Puckett J. A., Newcomb M. E., Garofalo R., & Mustanski B. (2017). Examining the conditions under which internalized homophobia is associated with substance use and condomless sex in young MSM: The moderating role of impulsivity. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, № 51 (4). Р. 567–577.

Russell G.M. (2007). Internalized homophobia: Lessons from the Mobius strip// Narrative therapy: Making meaning, making lives. In C. Brown & T. Augusta-Scott (Eds.). (pp. 151–173). Thousand Oaks, CA, doi: 10.4135/9781452225869.n8

Ryan W.S., & Blascovich J. (2015). Measures of attitudes towards sexual orientation: heterosexism, homophobia, and internalized stigma. In Measures of personality and social psychological constructs. (pp. 719–751). Academic Press.

Shevelenkova T.D., Fesenko T.P. Psihologicheskoe blagopoluchie lichnosti (obzor koncepcij i metodika issledovanija). Psihologicheskaja diagnostika. 2005. № 3. S. 95–129. (in Russ.)

Shook N.J., Ford C.G., & Boggs S.T. (2017). Dangerous worldview: A mediator of the relation between disgust sensitivity and social conservatism. Personality and Individual Differences, 119. Р. 252–261. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.07.027

Sozontov A.E. Gedonisticheskij i jevdemonisticheskij podhody k probleme psihologicheskogo blagopoluchija. Voprosy psihologii. № 4. 2006. S.105–114. (in Russ.)

Suncova Ja.S. Psihologicheskoe blagopoluchie lichnosti v svjazi s doveriem k sebe i ljudjam. Vestnik Udmurtskogo universiteta. Ser. Filosofija. Psihologija. Pedagogika. T. 30 № 1. 2020. S. 33–47. (in Russ.)

Tihomandrickaja O.A., Malysheva N.G., Shaehov Z.D., Kabal'nov N.A. Problema vzaimosvjazi lichnostnyh cennostej i psihologicheskogo blagopoluchija u starsheklassnikov [Jelektronnyj resurs]. Psihologicheskie issledovanija. 2018. T. 11, № 62. URL: http://psystudy.ru/index.php/num/2018v11n62/1651-tikhomandritskaya62.html (data obrashhenija: 07.08.2020). (in Russ.)

Tihomandrickaja O.A., Malysheva N.G., Shaehov Z.D., Kabal'nov N.A. Rol' lichnostnyh cennostej v psihologicheskom blagopoluchii sovremennyh starsheklassnikov [Jelektronnyj resurs]. Psihologicheskie issledovanija. 2019. T. 12, № 63. URL: http://psystudy.ru/index.php/num/2019v12n63/1675-tikhomandritskaya63.html (data obrashhenija: 07.08.2020). (in Russ.)

Totenhagen C.J., Randall A.K., & Lloyd K. (2018). Stress and Relationship Functioning in Same-Sex Couples: The Vulnerabilities of Internalized Homophobia and Outness. Family Relations, 67 (3). Р. 393–413.

Volchenkova E.A., Molchanova O.N. Poterjannye vozmozhnosti «Ja»: soderzhanie i svjaz' s psihologicheskim blagopoluchiem. Vest. SPb. Ser. Psihologija T. 9. Vyp. 3. 2019. S. 295–310. (in Russ.)

Voroncov D.V. Kvir-teorija: perspektivy psihologicheskogo analiza seksual'nosti. Voprosy psihologii. № 2. 2012. S. 152–163. (in Russ.)

Voroncov D.V. Social'no-psihologicheskie harakteristiki mezhlichnostnogo obshhenija i povedenija muzhchin s gomoseksual'noj identichnost'ju: dis. … kand. psihol. nauk. Rostov n/D. 1999. (in Russ.)

Yanykin A.A., Nasledov A.D. (2017). Internalized homophobia in Russia. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art. 10 (2). Р. 103–116. doi.org/10.11621/pir.2017.0207

Zinov'eva E.V. Osobennosti Ja-koncepcii zhenshhin gomoseksual'noj orientacii. Vestnik Kostromskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta im. N. Nekrasova. Ser.psihol. nauki: akmeologija obrazovanija, gendernaja psihologija. № 12. 2006. S. 104–106. (inRuss.)