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The underlying mechanisms of sexual minority women's (SMW's) physical and mental health disparities are not well understood. Relationship factors are particularly understudied, and data are rarely collected from both same-sex female partners. Most research is cross sectional limiting our understanding of day-to-day experiences. This paper describes the feasibility of recruiting a large sample of SMW and their female partners for a disparity-focused daily diary study investigating alcohol use and mental health. A firm specializing in sexual minority market research assisted with recruitment from multiple sources and conducted an initial pre-screening of SMW and their female partners, at least one of whom drank alcohol regularly. A total of 4182 individuals completed the pre-screener, and information for 930 individuals (465 couples) was sent to the research team. Then, 376 individuals (188 couples) completed the study screener, met the inclusion criteria, and were invited to participate. Ultimately, 326 individuals (163 couples) consented and completed baseline. A total of 321 individuals, from 162 couples, began the daily diary portion of the study. Compliance with study procedures was excellent. The use of multiple recruitment sources increased the diversity of the sample. Challenges to recruitment, changes in protocol, and characteristics of the final sample are discussed.RM [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alternative sexuality and sexual orientation minority (SM) communities are at risk for numerous health disparities. However, there is a dearth of research exploring the potential receptivity of these communities to the use of mobile technology to promote health. The present study reports findings from a feasibility study comprising two aims: (1) describe health enhancement app usage among alternative sexuality community members, as well as variation by sexual orientation status and (2) assess the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in understanding factors influencing health enhancement app usage. An online cross-sectional survey of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) members (N = 332) was conducted. Key findings include: (1) almost half of participants reported current mobile technology usage for health enhancement; (2) participants held positive beliefs concerning intention to use, perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use (PEU) of mobile technology; (3) the TAM was appropriate to explain health enhancement app usage and (4) significant TAM-supported direct and indirect pathways predicting behavioural usage of mobile technology. Moderation results indicate TAM application may be more appropriate for SM participants. Findings suggest that there are perceived health benefits in the use of mobile technology by NCSF members. Recommendations for mobile technology development for NCSF and similar communities are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study examined race and gender differences among positive psychological constructs, and adaptive eating and exercise behaviors. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Online. Sample: College students (N = 1,228; Mage = 22.27, SD = 5.83). Measures: Participants completed measures assessing positive body image, eudaimonic psychological well-being, and health behaviors. Analyses: Multi-group structural equation modeling was used to examine whether White versus Black race and, separately, woman versus man gender identity moderated associations among body appreciation, eudaimonic psychological well-being, and intuitive eating and intuitive exercising. Results: Results generally indicated that greater body appreciation was associated with greater eudaimonic psychological well-being (βs = 0.48, 0.56) and, in turn, intuitive eating (βs = −0.20, 0.25) and intuitive exercising (βs = −0.06, 0.23). However, notable variations in this pattern of results were identified based on the facet of intuitive eating and exercising under investigation, and participants' racial identities. For example, greater eudaimonic psychological well-being strictly mediated a positive association between body appreciation and reliance on hunger and satiety cues intuitive eating behaviors among participants who identified as Black (95%CI: 0.01, 0.12), but not White (95%CI: −0.08, 0.04). Conclusions: Although the present findings warrant replication using longitudinal designs due to the cross-sectional nature of the present study, these findings suggest that increasing adults' eudaimonic psychological well-being may help improve health-promoting eating and exercise behaviors, and should be assessed as a mechanism of change in future clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to determine how young adults' use of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) and alcohol uniquely cluster with one another, how these clusters differ by sex and race, and map onto health-related correlates. As a part of a cross-sectional study assessing college student health and experiences, female (n = 1,026), male (n = 336), White (n = 640), and Black (n = 561) young adult college students at three universities (Mage = 20.54, SD = 1.80) completed measures assessing DEBs and alcohol use, and physical and mental health. Multigroup mixture modeling was used to identify subgroups of female, male, White, and Black young adults that are characterized by different levels of DEBs (fasting, food avoidance, loss of control eating, overeating) and alcohol use (binge drinking, drinking quantity). Whether group membership relates to theoretically and clinically relevant health correlates (stress, depressive symptoms, sleep health) was examined via auxiliary analyses. Qualitative and quantitative differences were identified in the best-fitting mixture models for female (four groups), male (four groups), White (five groups), and Black (three groups) participants that suggest sex and racial variations exist in patterns of DEBs and alcohol use severity. Generally, classification in groups characterized by moderate to high probabilities of DEBs only, or the combination of moderate to high DEBs and alcohol use, was associated with worse affective concerns across sexes and races. Targeting young adults' DEBs and alcohol use via diversity-informed treatments focused on coping skill development may help promote health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the unique explanatory power of denial of disordered eating in understanding non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidality. Undergraduate women (N = 360) completed an online survey about NSSI, suicide risk, disordered eating behaviors, and denial of disordered eating. Denial of disordered eating was associated with NSSI and suicidality above and beyond engagement in disordered eating alone and demographic covariates. This study provided support that denial of disordered eating behaviors assists in understanding risk for NSSI and suicidality. Campus programing might include psychoeducation about the negative consequences of denial and emphasize the importance of disclosure to trusted confidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]