Bi The Way Things Pan Out: Life Story Interviewing and the Mental Health of Bi and Pan + Australians

This study aims to explore how plurisexual participants (i.e., those who experience attraction to multiple genders) understand their experiences during adolescence and early adulthood related to their sexual orientation, including their perspectives of societal influences on mental health. Utilizing the Life Story Interviewing technique, interviews were conducted in 2024 with 21 young adults (18–30 years old) who identify as plurisexual (e.g., Bisexual, Pansexual, Queer) to explore their sexual identities and experiences during adolescence and early adulthood in a narrative manner. All participants identified mental health challenges throughout their life, with over half (n = 11) identifying a complex/acute conditions and/or sexual assault (n = 11). Three quarters (n = 15) experienced childhood trauma, and just under half experienced inter-partner violence (n = 9) or financial vulnerability (n = 9). Data were synthesized deductively through an adapted four-layer socio-ecological framework then further synthesized inductively using reflexive thematic analysis within and across the four layers. This generated several themes including societal attitudes toward LGBTQA+ community, Mental Health Supports, Family and Community Connections, and Future Hope. These findings emphasize helpful insights into various factors that influence the mental health of this cohort, inclusive of experiences of help-seeking and desirable traits of mental health professionals.