Bisexual individuals experience societal stigmatisation due to their minoritized identity and are exposed to health disparities contributing to psychological distress. Drawing on the minority stress theory and the psychological mediation framework, the current study investigated the association between a proximal minority stressor (i.e. anticipated binegativity) and a mental health outcome (i.e. depression) through emotion regulation and resilience in 313 Italian bisexual emerging adults aged 18–29 years who responded to a web-based cross-sectional survey in May 2024. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics, anticipated binegativity, emotion regulation (i.e. expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal), resilience, and depression were statistically analysed using the structural equation modelling approach. Anticipated binegativity was positively associated with depressive symptoms, and both expressive suppression and resilience mediated the relationship between anticipated binegativity and depressive symptoms, separately. In addition, higher anticipated binegativity increased the level of depressive symptoms through greater expressive suppression (but not cognitive reappraisal), which in turn decreased resilience. The investigation of new psychological paths can inform clinical practice with bisexual emerging adults, who face unique developmental challenges and face increased risk of negative mental health outcomes due to their societal stigmatisation. Interventions should target adaptive emotion regulation strategies and resilience capacities that protect from the risk of depression.
Anticipated stigma and depression in Italian bisexual emerging adults: The mediating role of emotion regulation and resilience
Mezzalira Selene;
2025-01-01
Abstract
Bisexual individuals experience societal stigmatisation due to their minoritized identity and are exposed to health disparities contributing to psychological distress. Drawing on the minority stress theory and the psychological mediation framework, the current study investigated the association between a proximal minority stressor (i.e. anticipated binegativity) and a mental health outcome (i.e. depression) through emotion regulation and resilience in 313 Italian bisexual emerging adults aged 18–29 years who responded to a web-based cross-sectional survey in May 2024. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics, anticipated binegativity, emotion regulation (i.e. expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal), resilience, and depression were statistically analysed using the structural equation modelling approach. Anticipated binegativity was positively associated with depressive symptoms, and both expressive suppression and resilience mediated the relationship between anticipated binegativity and depressive symptoms, separately. In addition, higher anticipated binegativity increased the level of depressive symptoms through greater expressive suppression (but not cognitive reappraisal), which in turn decreased resilience. The investigation of new psychological paths can inform clinical practice with bisexual emerging adults, who face unique developmental challenges and face increased risk of negative mental health outcomes due to their societal stigmatisation. Interventions should target adaptive emotion regulation strategies and resilience capacities that protect from the risk of depression.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
