(PS9-78) Who Should I Turn To? Bi+ Women’s Experiences of Sexual IPV and Psychopathology Symptoms Through Differing Support Networks

Background: Bi+ women report increased rates of intimate partner violence, particularly sexual intimate partner violence (S-IPV), compared to women who identify as heterosexual or lesbian. S-IPV can have lasting impacts on mental health outcomes including PTSD and depression. Bi+ minority stress (e.g., identity disclosure, bi-negativity, discrimination) is associated with negative mental health outcomes. Additionally, social support is consistently a protective factor against psychopathology symptoms. Formal support networks (e.g., police, mental health provider) have benefited heterosexual survivors of IPV and sexual assault, but previous studies have found these networks can have harmful impacts for sexual minority survivors. Little is known about the relationship between outness, support networks, and PTSD/depressive symptoms for bi+ women who have experienced S-IPV.

Method: Bi+ women who reported experiences of S-IPV in the last year (N=119) completed an anonymous online survey assessing outness, perceived social support, usage of formal support networks to address violence in their relationship, PTSD, and depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses were conducted using Hayes PROCESS macro to examine the indirect effects of outness on PTSD and depressive symptoms through social support and the usage of formal support networks.

Results: Perceived social support significantly mediated the relationship between outness and PTSD symptoms and had a completely standardized effect of -.07 (SE=.04, CI=[-.16, -.01]). This model explained 8.1% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. Social support also mediated the relationship between outness and depressive symptoms with a completely standardized effect of -.12 (SE=.04, [CI=-.21, -.04]), explaining 20.1% of the variance in depressive symptoms. The use of formal support networks also mediated the relationship between outness and PTSD symptoms and had a completely standardized effect of .08 (SE=.03, CI=[.02, .15]). This model explained 13.1% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. In contrast, formal support network usage did not mediate the relationship between outness and depressive symptoms.

Discussion: These findings suggest outness may serve as a protective factor in supportive and affirming environments but a risk factor in environments that tend to discriminate against bi+ women. Clinicians should work with clients to help them navigate disclosing their identity in various spaces in attempts to maximize social support and leverage its benefits. Evidence-based treatments developed for sexual minority individuals, such as LGBTQ-affirmative CBT, could help bi+ women navigate situations in which leveraging social support and formal support could be health promoting.