Bisexuality, Minority Stress and Intimate Partner Violence in the American South Open Access
Hall, Casey (Spring 2019)
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) a health concern of growing relevance to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community. More particularly, bisexual women face elevated rates of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Researchers have begun to apply the Minority Stress framework to violence outcomes among LGBT populations; however, very little research has sought to examine the specific ways in which bisexual women experience Minority Stress. Additionally, research has begun to examine experiences of sexuality through a more multifaceted approach. A mixed-methods study was undertaken to examine possible mechanisms contributing to the experience of IPV among bisexual and multisexual women (ages 18-29) in the American South. The study included the collection of 36 in-depth life histories of multisexual women as well as survey data from 1,227 women. Main themes addressed by this dissertation included minority stress, intimate partner violence, biphobia, multi-dimensional sexuality, and sexuality development over the life course.
Findings emphasized the use of Minority Stress as one framework to explain elevated risk for IPV, the use of multi-dimensional measures of sexuality to identify subgroups who experience higher risk for stress and depression, as well as the application of a life course perspective to understand the relationship between the social environment, identity development, and sexual identity among multisexual women. Additionally, these findings suggest the need for intervention and programming that seeks to address the specific needs of bisexual and multisexual women on multiple levels of the social ecology.
Table of Contents
Contents
Chapter 1. Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………. 1
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………. 1
Intimate Partner Violence…………………………………………………………………………. 3
Minority Stress…………………………………………………………………………. 6
Bisexuality…………………………………………………………………………. 10
Current Study and Aims…………………………………………………………………………. 19
References…………………………………………………………………………. 22
Chapter 2. Evaluating a Minority Stress Model of Intimate Partner Violence in Bisexual Women Using Path Analysis…………………………………………………………………………. 31
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………. 31
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………. 32
Hypothesis of Current Study…………………………………………………………………………. 35
Methods…………………………………………………………………………. 36
Recruitment and Sample…………………………………………………………………………. 36
Measures………………………………………………………………………….38
Analysis………………………………………………………………………….39
Results………………………………………………………………………….40
Descriptive Statistics………………………………………………………………………….40
Three-group Path Model………………………………………………………………………….41
Discussion………………………………………………………………………….44
References………………………………………………………………………….47
Chapter 3. Moving beyond sexual identity labels in behavioral health research: a cluster analysis of multiple dimensions of sexuality………………………………………………………………………….53
Abstract………………………………………………………………………….53
Introduction………………………………………………………………………….54
Methods………………………………………………………………………….57
Recruitment and sample………………………………………………………………………….57
Measures: ………………………………………………………………………….57
Analysis………………………………………………………………………….59
Result………………………………………………………………………….60
Sample Characteristics………………………………………………………………………….60
Cluster analysis………………………………………………………………………….60
Regression Analysis………………………………………………………………………….64
Discussion………………………………………………………………………….66
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….69
Reference………………………………………………………………………….70
Chapter 4. Examining sexuality development, conflict and intimate partner violence in a qualitative sample of young adult bisexual and multisexual women 75
Abstract………………………………………………………………………….75
Introduction………………………………………………………………………….77
Methods………………………………………………………………………….80
Data collection and Recruitment………………………………………………………………………….80
Analysis………………………………………………………………………….83
Results………………………………………………………………………….84
Sexuality Trajectories: “ the label doesn't really fit because I don't really identify with it – even though I do:” ………………………………………………………………………….84
Conflict and Violence: “I think he needed to feel in control.” ………………………………………………………………………….88
Linking sexual identity development trajectories to conflict and violence…………………………………………………………………………. 92
Ambiguity, outness, and discomfort: “She was not like accepting of her own sexuality at the time, and was very much like in denial about it.” ………………………………………………………………………….92
Adverse childhood experiences, survivorship, and relationships: “I would attribute a lot of that to damage that I’ve had in previous relationships.” ………………………………………………………………………….93
First time with a man and sexual coercion: “it’s a pretty common script, I would say, in America” 94
Biphobic tactics ………………………………………………………………………….96
Discussion………………………………………………………………………….98
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….102
References………………………………………………………………………….103
Chapter 5. Summary and Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….107
Introduction………………………………………………………………………….107
Minority Stress………………………………………………………………………….108
Dimensions of Sexuality………………………………………………………………………….110
Sexual Identity Development………………………………………………………………………….111
Evaluation of the Dissertation Research………………………………………………………………………….113
Limitations………………………………………………………………………….113
Implications for Research and Practice………………………………………………………………………….114
Future Research………………………………………………………………………….114
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….118
References………………………………………………………………………….119
References………………………………………………………………………….126
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