Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2025, Psychology

LGB+ individuals may tolerate prejudice from religious/spiritual (R/S) institutions in hopes of deriving some potential benefits or comfort from these institutions. When LGB+ individuals encounter sexual prejudice in R/S settings, they may experience difficulty developing and maintaining a healthy sexual and R/S identity. Additionally, if LGB+ individuals internalize the negative messages about their sexual identity from R/S sources, they may experience significant discord and distress further challenging their ability to develop a healthy sexual and R/S identity. Consequently, the purpose of the current study was to examine if unsupportive R/S experiences predict greater identity self-discrepancies (i.e., actual-ideal and actual-ought) among LGB+ individuals who have heightened internalized homonegativity. Two hundred LGB+ individuals ages 18–76 completed measures to assess the conflict or comfort they derive from R/S sources, the discrepancies between their actual, ideal, and ought sexual and R/S identities, and their levels of internalized homonegativity. Results revealed that the more LGB+ individuals experienced religion/spirituality as a source of conflict, the greater their actual-ideal self-discrepancy. Additionally, the more LGB+ individuals experienced religion/spirituality as a source of comfort, the smaller their actual-ideal and actual-ought self-discrepancies—with these associations particularly strong when LGB+ individuals internalized negative messages about their sexual identity. Thus, especially for LGB+ individuals who have internalized negative messages about their sexual identity, experiencing religion/spirituality as a source of comfort may help reduce identity challenges (and work toward identity integration).

Committee: Tammy Sonnentag Ph.D. (Advisor); Jennifer Phillips Ph.D. (Committee Member); Cynthia Dulaney Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Glbt Studies; Psychology; Religion; Social Psychology; Spirituality

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Textiles and Clothing

The purpose of this research is to examine how internalized homonegativity, body image, and self-esteem influence sexual behaviors, risky appearance management behaviors (AMB), motivations for risky AMB, and consumer behaviors, using the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance as a guide. Risky behaviors examined include unsafe sexual practices, risky AMB (working-out, over-the-counter muscle-building product use (OTC), steroid use, dieting, binging and purging, diet pill use, laxative use, sun tanning, salon tanning, and cosmetic tanning). Although there is little research linking body image to consumer behaviors, this area was also investigated. Consumer behaviors examined were credit card debt, frequency of shopping, price comparison, groom time, time spent shopping, and enjoyment from shopping. Ten hypotheses investigated the links between body image, internalized homonegativity, self-esteem, risky AMB, and risky sex. A survey methodology was used. An on-line questionnaire was developed which included: (1) the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire; (2) the Nungesser Homosexual Attitudes Inventory; (3) the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory; (4) an Appearance Risk and Motivations scale; (5) the Eating Attitudes Test-26; (6) a consumer behavior questionnaire; and (7) a demographic questionnaire. The website was listed with search engines and search directories, and was advertised with flyers, chat-room postings, and word-of-mouth. Data were stored in a text file, downloaded, and analyzed. Analysis included frequencies, means, simple regression, and multiple regression. Participants were 234 self-identified gay or bisexual men age 18 or older; most were white and lived throughout the United States of America. Results revealed that body image predicts some motives for risky behaviors, such as bodybuilding, OTC muscle-building product use, dieting, and sun tanning; internalized homonegativity predicts appearance evaluation and appearance satisfaction, as well as sel (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Nancy Rudd (Advisor) Subjects: Sociology, General

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Psychology

Research has shown that gay and bisexual males use alcohol in higher quantities and more frequently than their heterosexual counterparts. In this study, I examined the relationship between sexual identity (internalized homonegativity and gay identity formation) and the quantity and frequency of alcohol use, drinking-related consequences, and drinking-related outcome expectancies in gay and bisexual males. I recruited two samples (n1 = 529; n2 = 337) via the World-Wide-Web who completed my survey online. Participants in both samples who reported a more integrated gay identity also reported less internalized homonegativity. In the second sample, there was a small but consistent relationship between internalized homonegativity, quantity and frequency of alcohol use and drinking related consequences. There was no relationship between gay identity formation and any of the drinking outcome variables. None of the sexual identity variables explained more than 10% of the variance in alcohol-related behaviors. Although the methods of this project attempted to address some of the limitations of previous research by using a larger sample size, using more than one measure of internalized homonegativity, and attempting to recruit a demographically diverse sample, my results are similar to previous results. Future directions for research include recruiting a wider range of problem and non-problem drinkers, more subjects in the lower stages of gay identity development, and subjects who are less educated, older, lower income, and from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

Committee: Harold Rosenberg (Advisor) Subjects: