Page 57 - IJPS-9-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Personality traits in homosexual men in Iran

the participants in two different methods. First, through attracted to the same sex.” Participants with a score of 0 and
snowball sampling, where the link was delivered to the 1 were classified as heterosexuals, while those with a score
Telegram and WhatsApp accounts of homosexual men of 5 and 6 were classified as homosexuals, and any score in
whom the researchers had come to know during the above- between was considered indicative of bisexuals. The third
mentioned private parties, and they were asked to share question requested participants to select their preferred
the link with their other gay friends. The second method sex roles, with choices including “top” (insertive), “bottom”
was purposive sampling, where the researchers personally (receptive), and versatile (both receptive and insertive) for
sent the link to the subjects after studying their profiles on homosexual individuals, while heterosexual individuals
social networks (without adding any kind of filters such were provided with the option of selecting “none of them.”
as age), performing initial interviews, and obtaining their
informed consent. Worth noting that the researcher’s 2.2.3. MMPI
accounts on Hornet and Telegram apps were suspended The MMPI, introduced by Hathaway & McKinley in 1940,
3 times due to negative reports from the members, which earned acclaim for its accurate diagnosis of psychological
had roots in their distrust and fears. These suspensions problems in test subjects and became the most popular
had removed by sending an email to relevant authorities clinical personality assessment procedure. The original
and explaining the purpose of sending the questionnaire. MMPI test included 567 items. The MMPI used in this study
Furthermore, heterosexual samples were selected using was the validated Persian translation of a shorter version
convenience sampling. of the improved MMPI-2 (71 items) (Nezami et al., 2008).

Due to fear of security issues, only 332 out of 1,377 Test-taker were required to respond with “true” or “false”
questionnaires were completed. The inclusion criteria to the 71 items on the MMPI-2. The MMPI-2 used in this
included being physiologically self-identified male, self- study consisted of eight clinical scales: Hypochondriasis
identification as heterosexual or homosexual (based (Hs), depression (D), hysteria (Hy), psychopathic deviate
on self-reports), and informed consent. The exclusion (Pd), paranoia (Pa), psychasthenia (Pt), schizophrenia
criteria included bisexuality, being transgender, being a (Sc), and hypomania (Ma). These scales utilized specific
woman, and being younger than 21 years old (all as self- items, such as “my sleep is fitful and disrupted (Hs, D, Hy)”
reported). In total, 246 subjects (49 heterosexual and 197 and “I find it hard to keep my mind on a task or job (D, Hy,
homosexual men [30 tops, 36 bottoms, and 131 versatile]) Pd, Pt, and Sc)” to assess various psychological conditions.
were approved as participants. Three validity scales were included: Lie, Infrequency, and
Correction, which helped measure the test-taking attitude
2.2. Measurements and determine whether the subject approached the test
in a normal and honest manner (Nezami et al., 2008). In
2.2.1. Sociodemographics
Iran, the reliability coefficients for the subscales of the
The “Personal Information Page” was used for collecting Persian version of MMPI-71 were reported as follows:
data on the demographical and sexual orientation of the Hypochondriasis, 0.87; depression, 0.86; hysteria, 0.80;
participants. The demographic data included gender (male, psychopathic deviate, 0.90; paranoia, 0.89; psychasthenia,
female, and transsexual), educational levels (middle school 0.77; schizophrenia, 0.91; hypomania, 0.86. The reliability
or less, high school, associate degree, undergraduate, coefficients for the full scale were 0 and 0.78 (Shafiei &
graduate, and Ph.D. degree), age, birth order (firstborn, Ghodusi, 2019). General findings on the Farsi Version of
middle, lastborn, and only child), relationship status MMPI-71 indicated that it possesses suitable psychometric
(in a relationship, not in a relationship, and in an open properties for clinical use and research activities in Iranian
relationship), marital status (single, married, and culture (Hosseinchari et al., 2011).
divorced), and private email addresses for receiving the
general results of research. 2.3. Statistical analysis
Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-24. The
2.2.2. Sexual orientation and sex role
multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was
Three simple questions were used to determine the sexual used to compare different personality traits in three
orientation and sex role. The first question inquired homosexual groups and one normal heterosexual group.
about sexual orientation, with response options including Due to the significant difference in age between groups
heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. To obtain more and its potential impact as a confounding variable, the
precise information, the second question asked participants age variable was controlled for in the MANCOVA. Post
to rate their sexual attractions on a 7-point Kinsey Scale, hoc tests, specifically Games-Howell and Hochberg’s GT2,
ranging from “only attracted to the opposite sex” to “only were used to examine the mean differences between the

Volume 9 Issue 2 (2023) 51 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0390