Threat of harm beliefs mediate the link between binegativity and sexual assault-related PTSD among cisgender bisexual women.

Abstract

Objective: Bisexual women experience disparities in sexual assault and in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to heterosexual and lesbian women. Bisexual women also experience unique stigma due to their bisexual identity (i.e., binegativity), which may contribute to negative outcomes. We examined the link between antibisexual stigma and sexual assault-related PTSD via internalized binegativity and traumarelated cognitions (i.e., self-worth and judgment [SWJ], trustworthiness of others, and threat of harm [TH] beliefs) among cisgender bisexual women. Method: The sample, recruited via Amazon's MTurk, consisted of 246 young, cisgender bisexual women, predominantly White (83.7%) with a mean age of 25.93, who experienced sexual assault since age 18. Women completed questionnaires online (via MTurk). Parallel mediation analyses were conducted with the PROCESS macro for Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: Antibisexual stigma was associated with higher levels of internalized binegativity and trauma-related cognitions about TH and trustworthiness of others (but not SWJ). TH beliefs emerged as the only significant mediator of the link between antibisexual stigma and sexual assault-related PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: Among cisgender bisexual women who experienced sexual assault, antibisexual stigma may contribute to PTSD by increasing a sense of dangerousness of the world. TH beliefs may be an important treatment target, but clinicians must also consider experiences of binegativity, which may exacerbate symptoms. Findings also highlight the need for policies aimed at reducing binegativity on a societal level to improve health outcomes.