Positive Sense Research Articles

Latinx Science Students’ Sense of Belonging in Rural Wisconsin

This study explores the sense of belonging of rural middle and high school Latinx science students in Wisconsin. Between 2000 and 2015, the Latinx population was the fastest growing ethnic group in Wisconsin and increased by 95%. Yet, little is known about the experiences of these students in rural schools or their engagement in science learning. Our research contributes to addressing this knowledge gap and provides insights into Latinx student experiences relative to the science classroom and community. Our findings indicate that a primary determinant of Latinx science students’ positive sense of belonging is a positive relationship with their teachers.

Evaluation of Hematological Parameters in Dengue Patients of Peshawar

Background: Dengue fever is caused by a virus called Dengue virus. A positive sense RNA virus belongs to flaviviridae family having four serotypes. The word “Dengue” is derived from Swahilli language which means seizure-like cramps. Human-to-human transmission is through vector (Mosquito) Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Dengue virus was discovered in 1779 in Batavia. Dengue fever is differentiated into Dengue Fever, Dengue hemorrhagic fever, and Dengue shock syndrome. Material and Methods: Dengue-suspected patients were screened for Dengue virus. Among these 120 were found positive for dengue virus. All the patients were screened using the NS1 strip method. A complete blood count test was performed for all the dengue-positive patients for evaluation of hematological changes. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel 2020, and further analyzed through SPSS-22. Results: Among the dengue suspected patients 120 were found positive for dengue virus infection. Out of 120 patients 76(63%) were male and 44(36%) were female. 68% of the patients were in the middle age group (16-40 years), 7.5% of patients were lower age group (1-15 years) and 24.1% of patients were in the old age group (41-70 years). CBC results showed variation in hematological parameters. 41% of patients were found with low platelet count while in 73% of patients, WBC count was decreased below the normal range. A small portion of the patients showed low hemoglobin levels. Neutrophil levels also decreased in more than 70% of patients. In a few cases, the hematocrit level was out of range. Conclusion: The study was conducted for the evaluation of hematological changes that occurred in patients infected by dengue. According to our study on dengue viral infection, a total of 120 patients were included of which 76(63%) were males and 44(36%) were females. Male frequency was higher than females affected by dengue fever. The median age group in our study was most affected by dengue fever. Platelet counts were low in 41% of infected patients, WBC levels were decreased than normal ranges in 73% and neutrophil levels were also affected which shows similarities with previous studies.

Development of migration processes in the context of transformation of international relations

Introduction. The practical study of migration trends in the modern global economy and the increase in the movement of people has become a key area of research. This subject requires reliable theoretical and methodological support due to the rapid pace of change and the ever-changing socio-economic landscape, as well as the challenges of transforming global relations. In fact, migration processes have always been an integral part of international relations, but the conditions and context of their development are constantly changing. Transformations in international relations caused by political, economic, social, and environmental factors have a particular impact on the direction of migration processes. Therefore, it is necessary to reassess existing approaches to global migration policy, taking into account their impact on the socio-economic development of countries with different socio-economic systems. The purpose of the paper is to identify conceptually new approaches to migration processes and to reveal transformational processes in international economic relations. Results. Migration can be defined as the movement across international borders from or within a place of residence. Migration can be viewed from different perspectives, both in a positive sense (moving in search of a new job or better living conditions) and in a negative sense (fleeing political repression, conflict, violence, natural disasters or human rights violations). In principle, migration involves significant changes in the cultural structures of both the migrant and the host country. In the context of socio-economic instability, the model of the migration process development environment should be based on building the potential of intellectual, human and economic security, justifying the priorities of the national economy in the context of limited resources. Methodological assessments of the migration process environment should determine not only the level of pushing the population abroad and attracting migrants to the destination country, but also the optimal containment of labor and educational migration. Conclusion. The global arena is undergoing a process of transformation of international economic relations, which is caused by the approaching systemic crisis caused by capital overhang. This phenomenon affects every country in the world. In the process of global transformation, in order to maintain relations between countries, it is necessary to reform the migration system. It is important that migration policy is regulated at the international level, so that each state can control its population, labour market and support its economy. It also ensures the rights of foreign workers: working conditions, wages, social protection, and health insurance. The prospect of further research is a statistical analysis of the number of migrants and their impact on the economies of the host countries. This includes analysing the impact of migration on the labour market, economic growth and wealth distribution, socio-cultural impact, political implications, security aspects, and technological innovations.

Silencing RNA-Mediated Knockdown of IFITM3 Enhances Senecavirus A Replication.

Senecavirus A (SVA) is a non-enveloped, positive sense, single-stranded RNA virus that causes vesicular diseases in pigs. Interferon-induced transmembrane 3 (IFITM3) is an interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) that exhibits broad antiviral activity. We investigated the role of IFITM3 in SVA replication. Both viral protein expression and supernatant virus titer were significantly increased when endogenous IFITM3 was knocked down by approximately 80% in human non-smallcell lung carcinoma cell line (NCI-H1299) compared to silencing RNA control. Interestingly, overexpression of exogenous IFITM3 in NCI-H1299 cells also significantly enhanced viral protein expression and virus titer compared to vector control, which was positively correlated with induction of autophagy mediated by IFITM3 overexpression. Overall, our results indicate an antiviral role of endogenous IFITM3 against SVA. The exact molecular mechanisms by which endogenous IFITM3 limits SVA replication remain to be determined in future studies.

Self-report instruments measuring aspects of self for people living with dementia: A systematic literature review of psychosocial interventions.

A positive sense of self may be a key domain of psychological well-being for people living with dementia and therefore a legitimate target for psychosocial interventions in dementia care. Determining the effectiveness of such interventions often requires valid self-report instruments. This review aimed to investigate what aspects of self have been measured using self-report instruments in evaluating psychosocial interventions for people living with dementia and to explore the effectiveness of these interventions in terms of positive outcomes related to aspects of self. A systematic search of the literature using five electronic databases and one register (CENTRAL) was conducted. A narrative synthesis and methodological quality assessment was completed for the included studies. A total of 24 studies were included in the review. Seven aspects of self were measured using a range of self-report instruments, many of which have not been validated for dementia. Aspects of self were; self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-compassion, self-growth, self-acceptance, self-management, and self-identity. Studies included a variety of interventions; however, the effectiveness of these interventions for these aspects of self was mixed. There is some evidence that psychosocial interventions improve specific aspects of self in dementia but further research to improve this evidence base is needed. Future research should also investigate and confirm the validity and reliability of existing self-report instruments that aim to measure aspects of self in dementia. Limitations and implications of the review are discussed.

Brief virtual intervention associated with increased social engagement and decreased negative affect among people aging with HIV

ABSTRACT Virtual Villages—online communities that deliver supports to promote aging in place—are proposed to mitigate isolation and support the health of aging populations. Using a community-engaged approach, we developed and pilot-tested a Virtual Village intervention tailored for people living with HIV (PLWH) aged 50+ . The intervention employed a Discord server featuring social interaction, regional and national resources, expert presentations, and mindful meditation exercises. In 2022, a sample of PLWH aged 50+ from three U.S. study sites participated in a four-week pilot. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed participants’ demographic characteristics; degree of loneliness, social connectedness, HIV-related stigma, and technology acceptance; mental wellbeing and physical health outcomes; and user experience. Participants (N = 20) were socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse, aged 51–88 years, and predominantly identified as gay or bisexual men (75%). Paired t-tests revealed a significant increase in participants’ mean social engagement scores and a significant decrease in participants’ mean negative affect scores, following the intervention. User experience scores were acceptable and participants reported a positive sense of connectedness to the Virtual Village community. Results suggest that a virtual community can be accessible to older PLWH and may enhance social engagement and improve aspects of mental wellbeing.

Faculty incivility in nursing education: A cross-sectional analysis through student experiences

BackgroundIncivility, including that of nursing educators, is well documented in Western culture. Few recent international studies were conducted about nursing educators' incivility in nursing education. Research on nursing educators' incivility in nursing education is lacking in many developing countries. AimThis study examined Jordanian nursing students' reporting their nursing educators' incivility in nursing education and their differences based on the sample's demographics. MethodsA cross-sectional quantitative approach was employed to gather data through an online survey, drawing upon a convenience sample comprising 115 nursing students enrolled across various governmental and private universities. ResultsNursing educators' incivility in nursing education and its frequency were moderate. The highest-ranked nursing educators’ incivility behavior reported by nursing students was “unfair grading.” The highest-ranked reported "often" nursing educators’ incivility in the past 12 months was “being unavailable outside of class.” No statistically significant difference between the grouped median of nursing educators’ incivility in nursing education. The nursing educators’ level of civility was moderate. The best strategy to promote nursing educators’ civility in nursing education was “role-mode professionalism and civility.” ConclusionsThe nursing students had a positive sense of their nursing educators’ civility. Nursing educators are critical in fostering civil behavior among their nursing students and avoiding the growing tendency of uncivil behavior in nursing academic settings. Thus, nursing educators should not act uncivilly under any circumstances.

Medical research without patents: It’s preferable, it’s profitable, and it’s practicable

ABSTRACT This article addresses the question of the possibility of medical research without patents, a major issue in healthcare research and policy. We discuss and evaluate the relevant scientific, economic, societal, and moral aspects of our system of funding and organizing the research, development, manufacture and sale of prescription drugs. The focus is on the patent practices of big pharmaceutical companies. We analyze and critically assess the main features and impacts of these practices. In a positive sense, we propose an approach to organizing and funding drug research that prioritizes its public interest rather than its privatization through patenting. For these purposes, we first demonstrate that producing prescription drugs through patenting has serious drawbacks. Second, we develop a concrete alternative (medical research without patents) that is shown to be scientifically, socially and morally preferable, economically and financially profitable, and socio-politically and organizationally practicable.

Impact of Moral Elevation on College Students' Sense of Meaning of Life: The Mediating Roles of Gratitude and Perceived Social Support.

The current study examined the association between moral elevation and college students' sense of meaning of life, along with the potential mediating effects of gratitude and perceived social support on this relationship. Using the convenience sampling method, the Moral Elevation Scale, the Sense of Meaning of Life Questionnaire, the Gratitude Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used to conduct questionnaire surveys on 1088 college students (Mage=19.59 years, SD=1.46). SPSS25.0 data statistics software was used to analyze the data, and the PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to conduct the mediation effect test. (1) Moral elevation was significantly and positively associated with college students' sense of meaning of life (β = 0.43,p < 0.001). (2) Both gratitude and perceived social support partially mediated the relation between moral elevation and sense of meaning of life. The indirect effect of moral elevation on sense of meaning of life via gratitude was 0.11 (95% CI = [0.0709, 0.1453]), and the mediating effect accounted for 52.71%. The indirect effect of moral elevation on sense of meaning of life via perceived social support was 0.06 (95% CI = [0.0385, 0.0863]), and the mediating effect accounted for 29.41%. (3) Gratitude and perceived social support sequentially mediated the association between moral elevation and sense of meaning of life, the indirect effect through gratitude and perceived social support was 0.04 (95% CI = [0.0237, 0.0512]) and accounted for 17.88%. This study revealed the chain mediating roles of gratitude and perceived social support in the relation between moral elevation and sense of meaning of life for Chinese college students, which is of great theoretical and practical significance for the formation of a positive sense of meaning of life and the cultivation of moral elevation among college students.

First report of Hibiscus latent Singapore virus and Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus infecting Lantana camara in China.

Hibiscus latent Singapore virus (HLSV) and Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus (HLFPV) both belong to the genus Tobamovirus in the family Virgaviridae. The genomes of both HLSV and HLFPV consist of a linear positive sense single-stranded RNA of about 6.3 kb. HLSV is the causal agent of hibiscus leaf crinkle disease. Infections of HLSV in hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) have so far only been reported in Singapore, Japan and Malaysia (Srinivasan et al., 2002; Yoshida et al., 2018; Yusop et al., 2021). In 2017, leaf curling and chlorosis symptoms of lantana (Lantana camara) plants were found in Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China. To detect potential virus(es) in these lantana samples, leaves from one lantana plant were collected and total RNA was extracted with RNAiso Plus (TaKaRa). A cDNA library was prepared by TruSeq RNA Sample Prep Kit (Illumina) after removing ribosomal RNA by Ribo-ZeroTM rRNA Removal Kit (Epicentre). The paired-end sequencing was then performed on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000. A total of 61,085,018 high quality reads were obtained and de novo assembly by StringTie revealed 124,516 contigs (greater than 50 bp, N50=719 bp) with an average length of 537 bp. BLASTx analyses in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database showed that 1 long contig of 6,305 bp, assembled of 1794 clean reads, shared significant nucleotide similarities with the genomic sequence of HLSV, and 1 contig of 6,271 bp, assembled of 3174 clean reads, shared significant similarities with the genomic sequence of HLFPV, yielding an average coverage of the whole genome at 42.65 and 75.83 per million reads, respectively. To obtain the complete genome of the viral RNA in this lantana sample, eleven overlapping regions covering the entire HLSV viral genome, and nine overlapping regions covering the entire HLFPV viral genome were amplified by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and sequenced. In addition, the exact 5' and 3' ends of the genomic RNA of each virus were determined by rapid amplification of the cDNA ends (RACE) (Wang et al. 2020). The complete genome of the identified HLSV, deposited in GenBank: MZ020960, is 6,486 nt in length and shows 98.4% nucleotide sequence identity with HLSV Singapore isolate (GenBank: AF395898). Similar to other HLSV isolates, this virus isolate possesses an internal poly(A) tract of 87 nucleotides, which is crucial to virus replication (Niu et al., 2015). The complete genome of the Lantana HLFPV isolate is 6,463 nt (GenBank MZ020961) including a 73 nt internal poly(A) tract, and has 98.4% nt identity to HLFPV-Japan (AB917427). In two other lantana plants from the same site, the presence of HLSV and HLFPV was confirmed by RT-PCR using the primer pairs (5'-GCATCTGCATAACACGGTTG-3'/5'-ACGTTGTAGTAGACGTTGTTGTAG-3' and 5'-GGACCTTGCTAATCCGCTAAAGTTG-3'/5'-GGTCCATGTCCATCCAGATGCAATC-3'). In addition to the HLSV and HLFPV genomes, BLASTx analysis of three contigs of 3,006 bp, 2,845 bp and 2,200 bp, assembled of 1328, 352 and 2280 clean reads respectively, showed high identity to RNAs 1 (MG182148), 2 (DQ412731) and 3 (KY794710) of cucumber mosaic virus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. camara as a new natural host of HLSV and HLFPV, and first identification of a mixed infection of HLSV and HLFPV.

Muslim women consumers: Critical interpretations of US modest fashion brands entangled with the fashion-advocacy-capitalist-façade

Following 9/11, some young Muslim American women have been wearing hijabs to assert their Islamic identities. They are also seeking fashionable modest clothing, yet, despite their growing buying power, the US modest fashion market targeting Muslim women appears underserved. The purpose of this study was to critically examine how niche modest fashion brands in the United States target Muslim women while drawing upon theoretical concepts centring on oppression and agency related to the long history of gendered Islamophobia Muslims have experienced. We analysed eleven brands’ websites and social media applying the constant comparative method and identified four themes: empowering Muslim women, reclaiming modesty as modern and beautiful, meeting fashionable modest wear demand, and rejecting and perpetuating colourism. In our analysis of the digital discourses of US modest fashion brands, we revealed that these brands emerged to meet the demand of young Muslim woman in the United States who are embracing the hijab and modest clothing as a potent symbol of resistance against western ideologies, the fashion system’s oppressive acts towards Muslim women and traditional Islamic dress codes. Yet, their advocacy-centred messages – empowerment, reclaiming modesty as beautiful – operate within a profit-driven system, which we theorize as a fashion-advocacy-capitalistic-façade. The fashion-advocacy-capitalist-façade concept helps explain the slippery slope that fashion brands are tiptoeing as they aim to empower Muslim women, offer trendy modest clothing, reject traditional Islamic dress codes for women and create space in the fashion market for this unmet demand. Although these brands aim to promote a positive sense of self for Muslim women, they cannot be withheld from critical examination and potential interpretations when operating within the capitalist-driven industry that is so often plagued with significant injustices.

Positive mental health and sense of coherence among emergency medical service professionals.

Positive mental health (PMH) is a construct used to define and evaluate health from a positive perspective. Healthcare professionals in the emergency ambulance service are more likely to experience mental health disorders than the overall population. The demographic and occupational variables and Sense of Coherence (SOC) can act as predictors of PMH and can serve as protective elements against stress and demanding situations in the work environment. This study aimed to evaluate PMH and its relationship with demographic and occupational variables and determine if SOC is a predictive variable for PMH in health professionals working in the emergency ambulance service. A descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted with a sample of 406 healthcare professionals from the emergency ambulance service in eight health regions of Catalonia, Spain. The following variables were analyzed: Age, biological sex, household members, dependents family members, professional category, type of contract, job satisfaction and sense of collaboration with other institutions. The following assessment instruments were used: Positive Mental Health Questionnaire and Sense of Coherence scale. High scores were obtained in Positive Mental Health (PMH). Study participants who reported feeling completely satisfied in their work also showed a significant relationship with all PMH factors: greater satisfaction with their personal life, in their helpful prosocial attitude toward others, in their capability to deal effectively with stress and navigate conflict scenarios, in their ability to solve problems and self-realization, greater empathy and ability to understand the feelings of others, greater ability to establish interpersonal relationships. Comprehensibility, as a dimension of SOC, was identified as a predictor for some factors of PMH: a greater personal satisfaction, self-control, autonomy, interpersonal skills and total PMHQ. More than 43% of positive mental health in health professionals is explained by higher Meaningfulness and Comprehensibility values of the SOC, the absence of dependent family members and having a non-graduate background. Healthcare workers in the emergency ambulance service had high PMH. Meaningfulness (ME) and Comprehensibility (C), dimensions of SOC, were identified as model predictors of greater PMH, showing higher scores in most of PMH factors. To enhance SOC as a mental health promotion measure, resilience programs should be implemented to help professionals develop skills to face and overcome adverse situations. Educating in stress management thought networks are key elements to strengthen SOC. Managers in emergency medical services play a key role in transforming healthcare work environments to promote positive outcomes in the mental health of their healthcare workers.

Finite difference methods for nonlinear fractional differential equation with [formula omitted]-Caputo derivative

In this article, we construct finite difference methods for nonlinear fractional differential equation with ψ-Caputo derivative. The rectangle, Lψ,1 interpolation, and predictor–corrector methods on non-uniform meshes are proposed. The numerical stability analysis and error estimates are displayed. Numerical examples are also given to illustrate the theoretical results, where the chaotic attractors in the Lorenz system are numerically simulated in the sense of positivity of the largest Lyapunov exponent.

Serpentoviruses Exhibit Diverse Organization and ORF Composition with Evidence of Recombination.

Serpentoviruses are a subfamily of positive sense RNA viruses in the order Nidovirales, family Tobaniviridae, associated with respiratory disease in multiple clades of reptiles. While the broadest viral diversity is reported from captive pythons, other reptiles, including colubrid snakes, turtles, and lizards of captive and free-ranging origin are also known hosts. To better define serpentoviral diversity, eleven novel serpentovirus genomes were sequenced with an Illumina MiSeq and, when necessary, completed with other Sanger sequencing methods. The novel serpentoviral genomes, along with 57 other previously published serpentovirus genomes, were analyzed alongside four outgroup genomes. Genomic analyses included identifying unique genome templates for each serpentovirus clade, as well as analysis of coded protein composition, potential protein function, protein glycosylation sites, differences in phylogenetic history between open-reading frames, and recombination. Serpentoviral genomes contained diverse protein compositions. In addition to the fundamental structural spike, matrix, and nucleoprotein proteins required for virion formation, serpentovirus genomes also included 20 previously uncharacterized proteins. The uncharacterized proteins were homologous to a number of previously characterized proteins, including enzymes, transcription factors, scaffolding, viral resistance, and apoptosis-related proteins. Evidence for recombination was detected in multiple instances in genomes from both captive and free-ranging snakes. These results show serpentovirus as a diverse clade of viruses with genomes that code for a wide diversity of proteins potentially enhanced by recombination events.

Lipid Droplets in Virus Replication.

Intracellular pathogens rely on host metabolic networks for multiplication. Enveloped viruses need lipids for formation of the viral envelope and positive sense RNA viruses that replicate in membranous inclusions require lipids for formation of the replication compartments. In addition, all intracellular pathogens need energy for their replicative cycle. As triglycerides in lipid droplets are the main energy storage unit of cells and major source of membrane lipids, it is not surprising that viruses have evolved various strategies to exploit different aspects of lipid droplet biology.

“I’m not mad, bad, and dangerous … simply wired differently”: Exploring factors contributing to good quality of life with autistic women

BackgroundThere is increasing recognition of under-representation of autistic women in the academic literature and the impact of this on understanding, diagnosis, and support. Previous research has suggested that autistic women have poorer quality of life (QoL) than the general population. However, these findings have been established through use of QoL measures based on non-autistic norms and priorities. MethodsThis qualitative study used bottom-up, reflexive thematic analysis methods to explore how ten autistic women defined good QoL, and the factors identified as key to achieving this, using individual semi-structured interviews. ResultsFindings indicate four main themes that represent routes to good QoL: positive sense of self; feeling supported; autonomy; inclusion. Participants noted that being autistic itself was not a determinant of reduced QoL. Instead, participants’ QoL was underpinned by the extent to which participants understood themselves, others understood and accommodated their needs, and the person-environment fit. ConclusionsThe findings of this study align with a positive approach to neurological difference and have implications for diagnosis, post-diagnostic support and applications of current QoL measures for autistic women.

Using translation by students in foreign (English) language lessons

Relevance. The relevance of the research lies in the use of translation by students in foreign language lessons determines the strategy and concept of learning, since the modern world is rapidly developing, differentiating and changing; it needs constant translation and explanation. Translation reduces the feeling of anxiety when learning the target language, creates a positive sense of relaxation and reduces stress in students. It helps to achieve results that require writing, reading, systematization of ideas and the formation of proposals. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to consider the factors and features of the use of translation by students in English lessons. It is important to mention pedagogical translation, which serves to improve the language skills of students. Methodology. The research is based on the following methodological approaches: empirical, pedagogical experiment, questionnaire. Results. It is suggested to use the translation of a foreign language in the lesson for a better presentation of new vocabulary, explanations of complex grammatical structures and brief comments on the content of the texts discussed. Bilingual translation is also a good tool for monitoring the degree of understanding of more complex sentences and checking whether the student has actively mastered certain language structures. Conclusions. The integration of translation in foreign language lessons not only enhances linguistic competence but also fosters active student engagement, making the didactic process more appealing and modern. The pedagogical utilization of translation represents a fundamental component of the innovative learning paradigm and is indispensable for developing essential skills and knowledge in the field of foreign language education. Keywords: foreign language; translation; lesson; students; text; language competence; pedagogical translation

Using Poetry to Foster Positive Racial Identity in Middle School Black Girls: Implications for School Counselor Practice, Preparation, and Research

In this article, we contextualize Black racial identity in the current sociopolitical context, and present and discuss a group counseling intervention using poetry as the medium to explore issues that foster a positive sense of racial identity in Black girls. We used the phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory as a framework to unpack the group counseling lessons, which are presented in detail. We also discuss implications for school counselor practice, preparation, and research.

Students' Engagement in the Implementation of Flipped Classroom for English Lessons

This study aims to describe the students’ engagement in the implementation of the flipped classroom method in the English lessons during the post Covid-19 pandemic. This research used a descriptive qualitative design, and the techniques of collecting data were observation and interview. The data were obtained from 23 students as research subjects. Findings of this research show that the students have positive engagement with the implementation of the flipped classroom method in the post-Covid-19 pandemic. Positive student engagement can be seen based on students' attitudes, which show indicators in the three dimensions of student engagement: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement in a positive sense. This has been proven by the student response data which show that the students were enthusiastic about the learning activities conducted in the flipped classroom because they already had the knowledge they gained before the meeting. Students feel more prepared to participate in the discussion process in class, enthusiastically participate in the learning activities, and can study independently.

“I Had Already Reconciled With Being a Slut When I Came out as Bisexual”: Experiences of Binormativity, Prototypicality, and Marginalization Within the Bisexual Community

Bisexual people encounter pervasive stigmatization resulting in significant negative health outcomes. To avoid stigmatization, bisexual people may attempt to resist stereotyping by acting in ways counter to common bisexual stereotypes (i.e., rejecting binormativity). The current mixed-methods study investigated the effects of binormativity through an online survey (N = 68, Mage = 31.56) completed by self-identifying bisexual individuals. Our quantitative findings indicated that conformity to binormative standards predicted feelings of identity illegitimacy, but also predicted lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. These findings were supported by qualitative data indicating many participants reported experiencing pressure to act either less or more stereotypically bisexual, and some participants reported experiencing shame or social identity threat due to their engagement in “stereotypically bisexual” behaviors (e.g., promiscuity). Furthermore, participants were generally reluctant to engage with binormative standards by labeling any behaviors as “bad” representations of bisexuality, instead endorsing the notion that all bisexual people are valid. Our quantitative and qualitative data collectively indicate that bisexual people navigate binormativity in their everyday lives and may experience negative identity outcomes related to binormative standards (e.g., identity illegitimacy), yet generally maintain a positive sense of identity and pursue an inclusive definition and community of bisexuality.