Exploring Minority Stress and Resilience in a Polyamorous Sample.

Polyamory is a type of consensual non-monogamy (CNM) in which participants engage in multiple simultaneous romantic and often sexual relationships with the knowledge and consent of all involved. CNM practitioners in general, and polyamorous people in specific, appear to be highly stigmatized due to their relational practices, and to experience acts of CNM-related discrimination, harassment, and violence. Conceptualizing this dynamic via minority stress theory predicts that this stigma and discrimination will lead to negative mental health effects for polyamorous individuals. However, recent research has begun to identify possible sources of resilience within polyamorous populations that may ameliorate these negative effects. This study investigated these hypotheses in a sample of 1176 polyamorous American adults utilizing structural equation modeling. Four constructs were assessed as potential resilience factors: mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, a positive CNM identity, and connection to a supportive CNM community. Results indicate that CNM-related minority stress was positively related to increased psychological distress, such as higher self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness was found to have both direct and moderating effects on the relationship between minority stress and psychological distress, such that higher mindfulness attenuated the negative impact of minority stress. Cognitive flexibility also displayed direct and moderating effects, but in the opposite than predicted direction. Clinical and research implications of these findings are discussed, with an emphasis on expanding understanding of how anti-CNM stigma affects practitioners and improving clinical cultural competence with this unique and under-served population.

Drug use and sexual risk among gay and bisexual men who frequent party venues.

Research connecting club drug use to risky sex among gay/bisexual men (GBM) contains methodological issues that have limited knowledge about the relative risks of distinct drugs. This paper reports drug use and sexual behavior data from 197 GBM who frequented at least one party venue within 3 months of participating. Alarming rates of drug use and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with casual sex-partners were reported in connection with time spent at a bar, club or circuit party. Structural equation modeling revealed that use of methamphetamine, gammahydroxybutrate (GHB), and/or ketamine (K), but not use of ecstasy, at a party venue helped explain likelihood of UAI with a casual sex-partner while under the influence of a drug during/following time partying (ß = 0.41, p < .01). Findings suggest use of methamphetamine, GHB and/or K at party venues increases risk for subsequent UAI with casual sex-partners. Study implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Body dissatisfaction and methamphetamine use among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men: a pilot study.

Methamphetamine use is strongly associated with risky sex and increased reports of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among gay and bisexual men (GBM) who attend dance/circuit parties. The psychological mechanisms underlying methamphetamine use in this subculture, however, remain unclear. These exploratory findings are from a 2004 dataset measuring body dissatisfaction and drug use among 42 HIV-positive GBM in South Florida who attended at least one bar/club/circuit party within 3 months of participating. A multivariate regression model revealed that body dissatisfaction accounted for a small but significant amount of variance in methamphetamine use. Treatment implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Intimacy and sexual behavior among HIV-positive men-who-have-sex-with-men in primary relationships.

Unprotected anal intercourse among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) occurs more frequently between partners in a primary relationship than between nonprimary partners. Although research supports the role of social support in risky sex, findings also suggest that the reasons associated with risky sex differ depending on both the relationship status and HIV-serostatus of MSM. This study assessed whether level of intimacy within a primary relationship helps to explain risky sex among a sample of 78 HIV-positive MSM currently involved in a primary relationship. Findings suggest that both drug use prior to sex and HIV status of the primary partner moderate the relationship between intimacy and sexual risk behaviors. Under levels of low drug use, greater intimacy functioned as a protective factor within seroconcordant relationships whereas it functioned as a risk factor within serodiscordant relationships. Implications for educational and clinical interventions are discussed.