A comparison between homosexuals and heterosexuals based on personality characteristics, parental bonding and levels of mental health

Sexual demand is one of the first five essential needs of human, which is categorized into homo, hetero and bisexual orientations. The aim of the present study was to compare sexual orientations based on personality characteristics, parental bonding and mental health in a sample of Iranian males. Method of the present descriptive study was correlational, the design of the study was causal comparative. A total of 953 males (445 homosexuals, 381 heterosexuals, and 127 bisexuals) participated in the present study, voluntarily. Participants completed Personality Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; McCrae & Costa, 2003), Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI; Parker, Tupling, & Brown, 1979), and Mental Health Inventory (MHI-28, Veit & Ware, 1983). The results revealed that the homosexual group reported higher levels of neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness than the heterosexuals, while the heterosexual group scored extraversion higher than the homosexuals. The heterosexual group reported higher levels of father care than the homosexuals, while the homosexual group scored mother care higher than the heterosexual group. Heterosexuals showed significantly (p < .01) higher levels of mental health than the homosexual group. The former group revealed higher degree of psychological well-being whereas the latter showed higher degree of psychological distress. Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that improvement of psychological and societal mental health in terms of sexual orientations requires psychological interventions in both levels of prevention and treatment.