Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the homophobia scale in religious-based university students in Indonesia.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the homophobia scale in students attending religion-based universities in Indonesia. This research is important as homosexuality is a controversial issue in the country and is still a topic of debate. The Homophobia Scale is a tool that assesses attitudes towards homosexuality through 17 items measuring positive affirmation, negative cognition, and the perceived threat of homosexual behavior. The scale was adapted for the Indonesian context, which is predominantly religious, based on The Heterosexual Attitudes Towards Homosexuality (HATH) Scale and Items, originally translated by bilingual experts. The translated scale was then reviewed for content by psychologists and communication experts, and field-tested for reliability and validity. Data from 327 students aged 18-35 from both state and private religion-based universities were analyzed using Rasch model analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA), reliability analysis, and differential item functioning (DIF) assessment. The study found that the homophobia scale accounted for 42.4 % of the raw variance, indicating its unidimensionality. The scale demonstrated an acceptable level of personal reliability and excellent reliability for individual items. Results revealed significant demographic effects, with age and study program showing more differential item functioning (DIF). Male students were more tolerant towards homosexuals than females. Additionally, students at state universities tended to be more tolerant but held negative views of homosexuality when associated with AIDS. In conclusion, the homophobia scale assessed in this study exhibits promising construct validity and sufficient psychometric properties. The findings indicate that negative stigma towards homosexuals and homophobia still persist among students at religion-based universities in Indonesia, despite limited interaction with homosexuals.