Internalized Homonegativity Test (IHNI)
How a gay or bisexual man feels about his own sexuality.
Internalized homonegativity — the degree to which a gay or bisexual man absorbs negative societal attitudes about his own sexuality. The IHNI measures this across 23 items and 3 dimensions: personal homonegativity, gay affirmation, and morality of homosexuality. 6-point scale, about 5 minutes.
What Does the IHNI Measure?
The IHNI zeroes in on something specific: how a gay or bisexual man feels about being gay or bisexual on the inside. Not what society thinks — what he thinks about himself. Mayfield (2001) built this 23-item scale to capture the different ways internalized homonegativity shows up.
Unlike simpler scales that treat internalized homonegativity as one thing, the IHNI breaks it down into three related but distinct dimensions.
Three Dimensions
1. Personal Homonegativity (11 items): Personal discomfort and negative feelings about being gay. The core of internalized homonegativity — shame, self-criticism, wishing you weren't gay. 2. Gay Affirmation (6 items): Positive feelings toward being gay and the gay community. High scores mean less affirmation — someone who doesn't see being gay as something positive. 3. Morality of Homosexuality (6 items): Beliefs about whether homosexuality is morally wrong or acceptable. Taps into religious or cultural moral frameworks.
Scoring
Higher scores = greater internalized homonegativity.
Practical Use
Used in research on sexual minority mental health, identity development, and the impact of minority stress. Higher IHNI scores are associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and lower self-esteem among gay and bisexual men.
Reference: Mayfield, W. (2001). The development of an internalized homonegativity inventory for gay men. *Journal of Homosexuality*, 41(2), 53–76.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 23 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Dimension breakdown — separate scores for each sub-scale
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.