The Sexual Orientation Microaggression Inventory Short Form (SOMI-SF): Validation in Three Samples of Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sexual Minority Youth.

Abstract

The Sexual Orientation Microaggression Inventory (SOMI) has been used to measure sexual orientation-based microaggression experiences. However, at 19 items, the SOMI may be difficult to fit into survey batteries where microaggressions are not the primary predictor or the time researchers have with each participant is very limited. We sought to identify an eight-item short form of the SOMI (SOMI-SF) in a sample of sexual minority (SM) youth (N = 879) and confirm the validity and reliability of the SOMI-SF by administering both versions to separate cohorts of male-assigned (N = 533) and female-assigned (N = 430) at birth SM youth. Data was collected from April 2018 to May 2020. We found high reliability (α > 0.80) and validity (significant association with SM victimization, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and internalized stigma) in all three samples for the SOMI-SF. For researchers looking to conserve time and limit burden, the SOMI-SF is a high quality option for measuring sexual orientation microaggressions. The greater ease of administering the SOMI-SF means that sexual orientation microaggressions can be measured in a greater number of contexts. With a growing literature linking these experiences to poorer health outcomes for SM populations, measuring these experiences quickly and accurately can improve our understanding of the mechanisms creating those links and impact policy necessary to alleviate them.