In a study published on January 11th, investigators considered of the digital resilience behavior of young, black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). CFAR investigator and assistant professor of health behavior at the Gillings School Kathryn E. Muessig, PhD, participated as senior author to this study, entitled “Stay strong! keep ya head up! move on! it gets better!!!!’: Resilience processes in the healthMpowerment online intervention of young black gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.”
The study focused on participants’ forum use of healthMpowerment, an anonymous online intervention system designed by Hightow-Weidman. Investigators analyzed conversations according to the four forms of resilience behaviors: exchanging social support, engaging in health-promoting cognitive processes, enacting healthy behavioral practices and empowering others. Their findings suggest that interventions based on resilience and empowerment may position black GBMSM to better combat negative stereotypes and social institutions that perpetuate HIV-related stigma, racism and blame. This is in contrast to preexisting risk-based frameworks that may reinforce stigma and negative stereotypes associated with this already marginalized group.
Read more about the study’s findings here.
