“Seems Like Fun”: Understanding Sexual Minority Participants Views on Consensual Non-Monogamy Relationships in a College Age Sample - Emma Nielsen, Emilie Karovic, Emerson Rabow, Christine Curley PhD, JD

Polyamory, open relationships, and swinging are all forms of consensual non-monogamy (CNM), relationships that break the norm of monogamy. Prior research has found negative attitudes toward CNM persist, but has not differentiated qualitatively whether some groups have less negative attitudes than others. Studies utilizing the Minority Stress Model have revealed that the experiences or anticipation of stigma among LGBT individuals, reflecting an awareness of negative attitudes, prejudices, and discrimination, can lead to chronic stressors that adversely affect their psychological well-being. This study investigated the attitudes that sexual minority people have about CNM and the possible stigma-based solidarity among these two groups. In this mixed methods study, social attitudes toward CNM were examined in a college sample of 367 participants (74.8% women; 24.1% men; 1.1% non-binary/non-gender conforming; M age = 19.11) who were racially (49.9% White; 17.1% Asian; 12.6% Hispanic; 11.2% Black; 4.5% Indian/Pakistani/South Asian; 4.2% mixed) and sexually (80.5% straight/heterosexual; 24.8% not exclusively heterosexual) diverse, assessing CNM experience, and perceptions of CNM, using an Attitudes Toward CNM scale and open-ended questions to qualitatively assess reasons for reported attitudes.

For the quantitative analysis, sexual minority participants (M = 56.53, SD = 11.93) compared to straight/heterosexual identifying participants (M = 45.20, SD = 11.86) had more positive/neutral views of CNM relationships, t(338) = -6.96, p = <.001, CI95 -1.23, -0.68. Furthermore, Cohen's d effect size value (d = -.96) suggested a high practical significance. The qualitative responses revealed a similar picture of views of CNM relationships. Sexual minority participants reported more interest in possible future CNM relationships, others suggested a more generally positive attitude toward the relationship types and were generally more tolerant and less-judgmental than the straight/heteosexual participants who listed a myriad of reasoning for reporting more negative views of CNM relationships, center on moral judgments, commitment to their current monogamous partner, discomfort with the concept of more than one sexual partner, and an expectation of the bad outcomes that may result from these relationships.

The hypothesis that stigma experiences associated with sexual minority status as a part of the LBGTQ community has fostered a more tolerant less judgmental attitude toward relationship diversity – CNM relationships – was supported by both our quantitative and qualitative data.

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"I Would Never Do That!" A Mixed Methods Study Examining Attitudes Toward Consensual Non-Monogamy in a College and National Sample - Christine Curley, PhD, JD; Emilie Karovic, Emerson Rabow and Blair T. Johnson, PhD

Consensual non-monogamy (CNM) includes polyamory, open relationships, and swinging. The Minority Stress Model -- that stigma from negative attitudes, prejudice, and discrimination, can create chronic stressors that degrade psychological health -- may apply to relationship diversity.

Social attitudes toward CNM were examined in a college sample [367, 73.6% women; Mage 19.11; 51.5% non-White, 24.8% not exclusively heterosexual] and a national sample [350, 47.1% women; M age- 55, from California, Oregon, Florida, and Texas; 20.5% non-White, 7.4% not exclusively heterosexual], assessing moral foundations, CNM experience, and perceptions of CNM, using an Attitudes Toward CNM scale and open-ended questions.

Moral foundations of "ingroup" and "purity" predicted negative CNM attitudes, with no gender differences. Sexual minorities had more positive attitudes toward CNM than heterosexual participants. The qualitative data revealed negative themes ranging from being uncomfortable, to monogamy beliefs, to statements charging immorality; some were less judgmental, that, "it was not for them."

North presenting?

Personal experience or knowing people who had engaged in CNM was associated with more positive attitudes. 

Contact theory, grounding interventions to improve attitudes towards LGBTQ persons may inform interventions to reduce negative attitudes toward CNM. Findings from this study could inform interventions and education efforts to reduce stigma against CNM individuals and guide health care practitioners, counselors, and therapists in interacting with CNM clients and their families to improve psychological, relational, and physical health outcomes.