Heterogeneity in sexual identity development among young sexual minority cisgender women: Associations with outness, victimization, and depression.

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Timing of sexual identity development has implications for victimization and health. Prior studies have primarily focused on men's same-gender attractions/experiences, and less is known about sexual minority, especially bisexual, women. The current study explored patterns of sexual identity development among 402 young sexual minority cisgender women and examined associations with outness, victimization, and depression. Latent class analysis identified six patterns: 1) gay/lesbian, early attractions; 2) gay/lesbian, late attractions; 3) bisexual, early attractions, more sexual experience; 4) bisexual, early attractions, less sexual experience; 5) bisexual, late attractions, more sexual experience; and 6) bisexual, late attractions, less sexual experience. Participants in "gay/lesbian" classes were more out than those in "bisexual" classes, while participants in the "bisexual, late attractions, less sexual experience" class were less out than those in other "bisexual" classes. Participants in the "gay/lesbian, early attractions" class reported more victimization than those in "bisexual, less sexual experience" classes; participants in the "bisexual, early attractions, more sexual experience" class reported more victimization than those in other "bisexual" classes; and participants in the "bisexual, late attractions, more sexual experience" class reported more victimization than those in "bisexual, less sexual experience" classes. Last, participants in the "gay/lesbian, early attractions" class reported more depression than those in "late attractions" classes, and participants in the "bisexual, early attractions, more sexual experience" class reported more depression than those in "bisexual, late attractions" classes. Findings highlight heterogeneity in sexual identity development among sexual minority cisgender women, which may have implications for identifying those at risk for negative outcomes.

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