Sexual Minorities’ Psychosexual Adjustment as Reflected in the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire (MSQ)

Abstract

Sexual minorities are disproportionately likely to experience discrimination and stigma which can influence negative outcomes in both psychological and well as physical health. While this has been clearly established, there is less research examining sexual minorities psychosexual adjustment specifically. This is particularly important considering the stigma that sexual minorities face is particularly related to their sexual attractions and romantic affiliations. Perhaps facing the most stigma are individuals who are bisexual. In the present study, we examined psychological traits associated with sexual relationships, as assessed via the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire (MSQ), among self-identified Bi, Straight, and Gay men and women (total n = 1846). Results showed that, overall, among both men and women, bisexuals demonstrated poorer psychosexual adjustment than did heterosexuals, with gays and lesbians generally falling somewhere in between.