Personality traits in homosexual men with different sex roles in Iran

Abstract

Studies on homosexual men reveal a secondary self-label, the sex role, which can affect many dimensions of their lives. Based on their roles in anal intercourse, homosexual men adopt self-label or sex role as top, bottom, and versatile. Unwelcoming social space, along with the legal and religious constraints in Islamic communities on homosexuality has made information about their personality traits scarce. Therefore, this study assessed the personality traits of homosexual men with different sex roles and compared them to each other and heterosexual men. In an ex post facto study, 197 Iranian homosexual men (30 tops, 36 bottoms, and 131 versatile) and 49 Iranian heterosexual men were included using purposive and snowball samplings to complete a short 71-item Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). The results showed top group obtaining highest mean score among the groups for scales of validity (F) and hypochondriasis (Hs), while bottom group obtaining highest mean scores for scales correction (K), depression (D), hysteria (Hy), paranoia (Pa), psychasthenia (Pt), and hypomania (Ma). These results suggested that bottoms encounter more difficulties in forming relationships and concealing their sexual identity. Depression, hopelessness, and a sense of failure in attracting support and affection from others are more prominent among bottoms.