Bisexuality and Mental Health: Future Research Directions

Abstract

Studies have indicated that bisexual individuals may report worse mental health than their heterosexual and gay/lesbian counterparts. This article reviews research related to bisexuality and mental health. Further, the main theories relevant to why bisexual individuals may face mental health disparities—namely, minority stress and lifetime adversity—are discussed. Based on a review of the literature, the second part of the article outlines directions for future research on bisexuality and mental health. It is suggested that studies explore how sexual orientation disclosure; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community support; and sexual behavior may help to explain the association between bisexuality and mental health.

KEYWORDS:

• bisexuality
• mental health
• minority stress
• sexual orientation disclosure
• LGBT community
• risky sexual behavior

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tonje J. Persson

Tonje J. Persson, MSc, is a PhD candidate in clinical psychology at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. She is supervised by Drs. James G. Pfaus and Andrew G. Ryder. Her main research interests are sexual orientation and mental health, female bisexuality, within-group differences among sexual minority women, and female sexual arousal and desire.

James G. Pfaus

James (Jim) G. Pfaus, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Although his research is primarily in the field of behavioral neurobiology (neurochemical and molecular events that subserve sexual behavior and neuroendocrine functions), he has recently extended into using eye-tracking technologies to investigate sexual desire.