Depression, loneliness, and mental (un)wellness of gay men: adaptation of the Internalized Homophobia Scale (IHS) by G. Wagner

Introduction and objective: The study aimed to adapt the Internalized Homophobia Scale (IHS) developed by G. Wagner for a Ukrainian cohort and to examine its associations with loneliness and wellbeing. Materials and methods: The IHS measures the internalised rejection of an individual’s sexual identity. The adaption process involved forward and backward translation followed by expert evaluation. Data were gathered via computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) from 90 men who engage in sexual activity with other men (ages 18–62). Convergent and divergent validity were evaluated using a modified BBC Subjective Well-Being Scale (BBC-SWB), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Loneliness Scale developed by D. Russell and M. Ferguson. Cronbach’s alpha evaluated internal consistency, whereas factor analysis (EFA, Principal Components) clarified the questionnaire’s structure. One-way ANOVA and t-tests were applied for comparative studies, and correlation analysis examined correlations among variables. Results: Cronbach’s alpha was 0.87, and test–retest reliability (Pearson’s r) was 0.96 (p < 0.001). Factor analysis indicated a two-factor structure. Internalised homophobia exhibited considerable variation based on geographic location, disclosure status, and sexual orientation (gay/bisexual). Correlation coefficients were as follows: IHS and loneliness 0.37 (p < 0.001), relationship wellbeing −0.31 (p < 0.01), psychological wellbeing −0.33 (p < 0.01), and depression 0.31 (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The adapted Ukrainian version of the IHS is both reliable and valid for evaluating internalised homophobia among Ukrainian men who engage in sexual relations with men. Internalised homophobia is significantly linked to loneliness and subjective wellbeing, particularly psychological and relational functioning.