Minority Stress and Intimate Violence Perpetration Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: Hazardous Alcohol Use as a Meditator.

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has become a global public health issue, including in men who have sex with men (MSM). This study, based on minority stress theory, examines the relationship between minority stress and IPV perpetration among Chinese MSM, emphasizing the role of hazardous alcohol use. We propose 3 hypotheses: (1) enacted stigma, internalized stigma, identity concealment, and hazardous alcohol use contribute to IPV perpetration; (2) hazardous alcohol use mediates the effect of minority stress on IPV perpetration; and (3) proximal stressors (internalized stigma and identity concealment) serve as mediators between enacted stigma and IPV perpetration.

Methods: A total of 915 valid questionnaires were collected in China via snowball sampling for analysis, using structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between variables.

Results: Among 915 MSM, the IPV perpetration prevalence was 18.6% in the past year. The structural equation model showed that enacted stigma ( β = 0.414, P < 0.001), internalized stigma ( β = 0.179, P < 0.01), and hazardous alcohol use ( β = 0.245, P < 0.001) significantly contributed to IPV perpetration. Although identity concealment ( β = -0.134, P < 0.01) had a protective effect. Hazardous alcohol use mediated the relationship between minority stress and IPV perpetration, except for internalized stigma. Proximal stressors also partially mediated the link between enacted stigma and IPV perpetration.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that enacted stigma, internalized stigma, identity concealment, and hazardous alcohol use are associated with IPV perpetration. Reducing stigma toward MSM and addressing hazardous alcohol use are crucial for IPV perpetration.