PERCEPTIONS OF BISEXUAL IDENTITY, OUTNESS, AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG RACIALLY DIVERSE BISEXUAL WOMEN AND MEN.

Abstract

This study, employing data from the Women's and Men's Daily Experiences Studies, examines relationships between outness, anticipated binegativity, internalized binegativity, bisexual meta-perceptions, and mental health among 235 racially diverse bisexual adults. Path analyses via MPLUS explored whether several measures of negative bisexual identity perceptions were associated with relationships between outness and mental health, while moderation analyses assessed if positive identity perceptions moderate this relationship. Outness showed no direct association with anxiety or depression. However, anticipated binegativity was related to increased anxiety and depression. The association between outness and the different measures of negative identity perceptions varied. Additionally, community connectedness was inversely related to depression. These findings emphasize the necessity for additional research addressing bisexual-specific stressors, fostering positive identity perceptions, and enhancing community support for improving the mental well-being of bisexual individuals, particularly those that are people of color.