‘Why is it so different now I’m bisexual?’: young bisexual people’s experiences of identity, belonging, self-injury, and COVID19

Bisexual people demonstrate higher rates of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) in comparison to other groups. This study aimed to explore bisexual people’s experiences of sexuality, NSSI and the COVID19 pandemic. Fifteen bisexual people (16–25 years old) with experience of NSSI participated in online qualitative interviews. Thematic analysis was used. Preliminary findings were shared with a subset of participants for member-checking. Participants described experiences of falling between the binary worlds of heterosexuality and homosexuality and described discrimination and invalidation related to this. Lack of access to positive bisexual representation contributed to feelings of self-loathing, with NSSI used to manage emotions or self-punish. The effect of lockdown was not clear cut, depending on personal circumstances and meanings of social interaction for participants. There is a need for greater recognition of significant societal narratives around bisexuality within clinical formulations of mental health difficulties and NSSI within this population

Self‐injury in young bisexual people: A microlongitudinal investigation (SIBL) of thwarted belongingness and self‐esteem on non‐suicidal self‐injury

From Wiley via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2021-08-25, rev-recd 2021-10-25, accepted 2021-11-19, pub-electronic 2021-12-10Article version: VoRPublication status: PublishedAbstract: Background: Bisexual people are at an elevated risk for non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI). Psychological factors including self‐esteem and thwarted belongingness may help explain this risk. The aim of the current study was to investigate associations between self‐esteem, thwarted belongingness and NSSI urges and behavior in young bisexual people. Methods: Participants aged 16–25 from 25 countries took part in this microlongitudinal online survey study (N = 207). Mixed‐effects linear and logistic regression were used for analysis, given the nested structure of data. Analysis examined the relationship between self‐esteem and thwarted belongingness on NSSI urges and behavior at the same point in time, and lagged by one week. Results: At the same timepoint, self‐esteem and thwarted belongingness both had significant between‐ and within‐person associations with NSSI urges and behavior. For lagged models, self‐esteem had significant between‐person effects on urges, and thwarted belongingness had significant within‐person effects. For NSSI behavior, both variables were only associated with between‐person effects. Conclusion: Findings support previous research suggesting the importance of self‐esteem in explaining NSSI among sexual minorities. Preventative and intervention strategies to improve self‐esteem may help reduce NSSI risk. Future studies should focus upon the experiences of bisexual people with intersecting identities and ensure that studies are statistically powered from inception to detect effects

Self-Injury in Young Bisexual people: A MicroLongitudinal investigation (SIBL) of thwarted belongingness and self-esteem on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

BACKGROUND: Bisexual people are at an elevated risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Psychological factors including self-esteem and thwarted belongingness may help explain this risk. The aim of the current study was to investigate associations between self-esteem, thwarted belongingness and NSSI urges and behavior in young bisexual people.METHODS: Participants aged 16-25 from 25 countries took part in this microlongitudinal online survey study (N = 207). Mixed-effects linear and logistic regression were used for analysis, given the nested structure of data. Analysis examined the relationship between self-esteem and thwarted belongingness on NSSI urges and behavior at the same point in time, and lagged by one week.RESULTS: At the same timepoint, self-esteem and thwarted belongingness both had significant between- and within-person associations with NSSI urges and behavior. For lagged models, self-esteem had significant between-person effects on urges, and thwarted belongingness had significant within-person effects. For NSSI behavior, both variables were only associated with between-person effects.CONCLUSION: Findings support previous research suggesting the importance of self-esteem in explaining NSSI among sexual minorities. Preventative and intervention strategies to improve self-esteem may help reduce NSSI risk. Future studies should focus upon the experiences of bisexual people with intersecting identities and ensure that studies are statistically powered from inception to detect effects.</p