TY - JOUR
PY - 2023//
TI - Trauma-related shame mediates the associations between self-blame, bisexual minority stress, and rape-related PTSD symptoms
JO - Journal of interpersonal violence
A1 - Salim, Selime R.
A1 - Bhuptani, Prachi H.
A1 - Eshelman, Lee R.
A1 - LaPlena, Nicole M.
A1 - Messman, Terri L.
SP - ePub
EP - ePub
VL - ePub
IS - ePub
N2 - Bisexual women experience higher rates of rape and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence compared to heterosexual and lesbian women. In addition, bisexual women experience unique antibisexual stigma and minority stress, which are associated with post-trauma outcomes. The aim of the current study was to test trauma-related shame as a mechanism in the relations of self-blame and bisexual minority stress (i.e., antibisexual stigma and internalized binegativity) with rape-related PTSD symptom. The sample consisted of 192 cisgender bisexual women (ages 18-35 years) who reported an experience of rape since the age of 18.
RESULTS from path analysis conducted in Mplus indicated that trauma-related shame mediated the link between self-blame and rape-related PTSD severity, as well as the links from antibisexual stigma and internalized binegativity to rape-related PTSD severity. There was also an indirect serial effect from antibisexual stigma to internalized binegativity to shame to PTSD severity. Thus, findings highlight the mechanistic role of trauma-related shame in rape-related PTSD symptoms. We identified two risk pathways: (a) general/universal risk from self-blame about rape and shame to PTSD severity and (b) group-specific risk from bisexual minority stress and shame to PTSD severity.
RESULTS indicate that reducing trauma-related shame may be an important target to improve post-rape outcomes. Finally, stigma associated with rape and sexual violence as well as antibisexual stigma must be eradicated to improve post-trauma outcomes among bisexual survivors. Language: en
LA - en
SN - 0886-2605
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/08862605231172487
ID - ref1
ER -