Bidentity: Sexual Behavior/Identity Congruence and Women's Sexual, Physical and Mental Well-Being

According to cognitive dissonance theory, the co-occurrence of inconsistent cognitions may result in psychological distress. This distress may lead to undesirable health outcomes. This study explored the role of sexual behavior/identity congruence on women's mental, physical and sexual well- being. A total of 2,578 women who reported sexual attraction, desire, affection, intentions and/or behavior involving other women completed a web-based survey about their sexual identity/orientation, sexual behavior and wellbeing across domains. Participants whose recent sexual partnering matched their sexual identity reported fewer mentally/physically unhealthy days and also better sexual experiences. The well- being of queer- identified women did not significantly vary as a function of the gender of their sexual partners. The importance of behavior/identity congruence is discussed.