Modern Homonegativity Scale – MHS
A multidimensional instrument designed to assess contemporary, subtle negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Modern Homonegativity Scale – MHS was developed by Melanie A. Morrison & Todd G. Morrison (2002). It is designed to measure Modern Homonegativity. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 24 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Modern Homonegativity toward Gay Men (MHS-G), Modern Homonegativity toward Lesbian Women (MHS-L).
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Homonegativity toward Gay Men (MHS-G) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 | 12 |
| Modern Homonegativity toward Lesbian Women (MHS-L) | 13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24 | 12 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Don't Know, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree.
The scale includes 2 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 12 to 60. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Modern Homonegativity: 12 – 28
- Moderate Modern Homonegativity: 29 – 44
- High Modern Homonegativity: 45 – 60
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of alphas > .80 (typically .81 to .95).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.