Graduation Year
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
M.A.
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Degree Granting Department
Psychology
Major Professor
Robert C. Schlauch, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Kemesha Gabbidon, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Joseph Vandello, Ph.D.
Keywords
Alcohol Use, Bisexual, Discrimination, Minority Stress
Abstract
Individuals who identify as bisexual have repeatedly been found to consume alcohol at higherrates than individuals who identify as heterosexual or homosexual and are at greater risk for developing AUD. Per the Minority Stress Model, this heightened risk for bisexuals’ poor alcohol outcomes may be attributed to experiences of bisexual-specific stressors (i.e., experienced binegativity) and beliefs about their own bisexual identity., which have previously been associated with increased alcohol use. To date, however, no studies have examined if experiences of binegativity are associated with changes in internalized binegativity and alcohol outcomes in an experimental design. The current study aimed to test an integrative model examining how experiences of binegativity are related to internalized binegativity, alcohol consumption, and associated alcohol expectancies. Results indicated that participants who experienced a binegative event had more positive, salient alcohol expectancies than those who did not experience a binegative event. A significant difference in the amount of alcohol consumed between conditions was not observed. Additionally, no effect of experienced binegativity was found on changes between baseline and post-manipulation levels of internalized binegativity, and positive and negative affect. These findings highlight the temporally sensitive impact experiences of bisexual-specific discrimination may play in bisexuals’ heightened risk for adverse alcohol outcomes. Further, this study’s novel implementation of of an experience of binegativity has additional methodological implications for future research assessing the role of bisexual-discrimination on adverse outcomes.
Scholar Commons Citation
Rivera, Alexander P., "Internalized Binegativity, Alcohol Consumption, and Expectancies Following an Experience of Binegativity: an Experimental Study" (2024). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10555
