Examining eating disorder pathology and self-stigma of help-seeking behaviors in a community sample of sexual minority adults: an intersectional investigation of race and gender

ABSTRACT

Background

Self-stigma of seeking psychological help is a critical factor prohibiting individuals from seeking eating disorder (ED) treatment, but has been widely unexplored in racial/ethnic and sexual minority (SM) samples. The current study examined differences in ED pathology and self-stigma of help-seeking at the intersection of race and gender within a cisgender SM sample.

Methods

Cisgender SM participants (n = 354) identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC; 52%), Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI; 24%), or White (24%) were recruited through Prolific Academic. One-way analyses of variance were used to examine differences in the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH) and Eating Pathology Symptom Inventory (EPSI) subscales among men and women in each group. Pearson’s correlations explored associations between SSOSH and EPSI subscales within each subgroup.

Results

Findings indicated significant between-group differences on the SSOSH and the EPSI subscales of Body Dissatisfaction, Purging, and Excessive Exercise. SSOSH was significantly positively correlated with Body Dissatisfaction in the White SM cis-women group and Binge Eating in the BIPOC SM cis-men group.

Conclusions

Results demonstrate unique, intersectional between-group differences in ED pathology and self-stigma among SM individuals. Further research on the impact of intersectionality on these constructs within larger samples is warranted.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data included in this study are available upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by independent professional development funds from Dr. Tiffany A. Brown.