MENTAL HEALTH AND ADJUSTMENT OF MSM

MENTAL HEALTH AND ADJUSTMENT OF MSM
(MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN)

*PROF. S. P. MELKERI, **CHANDRAKANT SRIMANT


INTRODUCTION
Homosexuality refers to sexual behaviors, desires, attractions, and relationships among people of the same sex; as well as to the culture, identities, and communities associated with them. “The earliest usage of ‘homosexual’ listed in his studies in the psychology of sex. Other scholars, however, behavior the term to two anonymous German pamphlets authorized in 1869 by Hungarina Karlmaria Benkert. Although Benkert originally contrasted homosexual to ‘normal sexual’. Heterosexual ultimately became the term for describing comparable phenomena between people of different sexes. The term bisexual is often used to describe persons with attractions with attractions to both men and women.
Homosexuality has often been assumed to be a monolithic construct.
Homosexuality is psychological identity, a sense of self defined in terms of one’s attractions.
In our study we are taken MSM. Estimate for the number of MSM in Gulbarga would be over 700.



* Professor, Department of Psychology, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga
** Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga

Loose groupings and identities of MSM
Appearance Identity /feeling Sexual behavior / partnerships Remarks
Koti Behaves and acts like a heterosexual man; mostly young and likes to dress up fashionably Feels and acts like a heterosexual man; identifies as a man; waits to be approached Sleeps with Nirvahan/Chakka, women and men; expects to be approached; stimulated by and penetrates partners Unless admitting to this sexual preferences, difficult to distinguish from ordinary person
Panti Behaves and acts like a heterosexual man; may be a heterosexual man Feels and identifies a heterosexual man Sleeps with Nirvahan women and men Seen as ordinary men and may also be called panti
Nirvahan Behaves and strives to appear like women Feels like a woman identifies as a women Sleeps only with men who seen to be or are heterosexual; stimulates partner and is usually penetrated Easily identified by the public: some transgender group may describe themselves differently from another; can describe self as woman but will not accept this from others.





I. COMPONENTS OF HOMOSEXUALITY
a) Sexual attraction and desire
At same time in their lives, many people experience feelings of sexual attraction toward person of their own sex or toward the idea of engaging in homosexual acts.
b) Sexual behavior
Sexual acts between people of the same biological sex occur commonly in human societies and indeed.
c) Identity
Another aspect of homosexuality is the development of identity or sense of self that is defined in terms of ones homosexual attractions behavior.
II. HOMOSEXUALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
For much of the twentieth century psychiatry and psychology regarded homosexuality as a form of mental illness. It was included in the first diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM) of the American psychiatric Association in 1952. Labeling homosexuality as a form of psychopathology. But thus diagnosis was not based on empirical data from homosexual people who were functioning well in society.
By Evelyn Hooker and published in the “Journal of projective techniques (1956) in this journal Hooker concluded from her study that homosexuality did not constitute a clinical entity and that it was not inherently associated with pathology.
After this study declassify homosexuality as a diagnosis has been strongly supported by the APA since 1974. The APA has passed numerous resolutions supporting equal rights for gay people.

III. CATEGORIZATION OF HOMOSEXUALS:
 The blatant
 The desperate and bisexual homosexuals.
 The secret homosexual
 The adjusted homosexual
 The situational homosexuals
 The homosexual prostitute
IV. CONSTITUTIONAL FACTORS IN HOMOSEXUALITY
Since research concerning sexual behavior generally and homosexuality in particular has not been gently encouraged, there are far more questions and hypothesis than conclusive research data about the causal factors in homosexuality.
While some investigators view biological factors as playing a major role in the development of homosexual patterns, a larger number view of psychosocial factors as being more important like biological.
 Genetic factors
 Hormonal balance
 Hermaphroditism
V. PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS IN HOMOSEXUALITY
It would appears that many different pathways may lead to homosexual behavior, including early learning, traumatic experience with members of the opposite sex and prolonged heterosexual frustration.
 Early homosexual experience and their reinforcement
 Negative conditioning of heterosexual behavior
 Being reared as a member of the opposite sex
 Pathogenic family patterns
 Blocking of sexual expression
 Association with other psychopathology
Health is an indispensable quality in human being. It has been described as soul from which the finest flowers grow. Health indicates psychosomatic well being.
Bhatia (1982) considers mental health as the ability to balance feelings, desires, ambitions and ideals in one’s daily living. It means the ability to face and accept the realities of life.
Maslow and Millelman (1951) have suggested the following criteria for normal psychological health.
 Adequate feeling of security
 Adequate self evaluation
 Adequate spontaneity and emotionality
 Efficient contact with reality
 Adequate bodily desires and the ability to gratify them
 Adequate self knowledge
 Ability to learn frame experience
VI. MSM AND SOCIETY
While participant Koti, panti of focus groups believe that they are accepted in their own neighborhoods, their families, with only a few exceptions, blame them for any bad luck, scald them, are ashamed of them or attempt to mould them as “real men”. Failing that, they are forced out of their families. Sometime kicked out by parents.
Society generally does not accept the identity of transgender, koti, and panti.
Table showing the mean; SD and ‘t’ values of Mental Health and adjustment
Variables Mental Health Adjustment
Mean SD Mean SD
MSM 27.30 5.22 98.34 9.12
CP 90.51 19.31 121.52 18.91
t – value 13.50** 6.89**
** Significant at 0.01 level
The table reveals the Mean, SD and ‘t’ values of Mental Health and Adjustment of MSM. It can be seen from the above table that, the mean scores of MSM and common people is 27.30 and 90.51 respectively. The high mean score of common people indicates the fact that, the common people are having high mental health compared to the MSM whose mean score is relatively low, another area of comparison is adjustment mean scores of MSM and common people is 98.34 and 121.52 respectively. The high mean score of common people indicates. The common people are more adjustable than the MSM who scored a relatively low mean score. The obtained ‘t’ value for these two groups is 13.50 and 6.89 which is significant at 0.01 level.
Therefore, the hypothesis that there is significant difference between mental Health and Adjustment problems of common people and MSM is proved and accepted.


CONCLUSION
1. There is significant difference in the mental health of MSM and common people, common people are having good mental health compared to the MSM.
2. There is significant difference of adjustment and mental health of MSM and common people. Common people are highly adjustable than the MSM.
REFERENCES
 Barlow/Durand (2005), Abnormal Psychology Second Ed., Eastern Press, Bangalore, pp. 303-307.
 Dr. A. N. Venktesh Reddy (2001). Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life (Kannada Version), published by Siddalingeshwar Prakashan, Gulbarga, pp. 110-112.
 James C. Coleman, Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life, Published by McGraw Hill, New Delhi, pp. 464-473.
 Larry A. Hjelle, Daniel, J. Ziegler (1981), Personality theories: Basic assumptions research and application, published by McGraw Hill International Ed. Singapore.
 Nolen – Hoek Sema (2005), Abnormal Psychology 3rd Ed., Published by McGraw Hill, New Delhi, pp. 120-124.
 Schultz, S. E. and Schultz, D. P. (2001). Theories of Personality, Published by Woodsworth Thomson Learning, Australia, 7 Edition, pp. 229-231.