UNDERSTANDING SEXUAL WELL-BEING AMONG YOUNG ADULT GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN: A QUESTIONNAIRE DEVELOPMENT STUDY

Young adult gay and bisexual men (YAGBM) are among an at-risk population who are subjected to numerous stressors. Stigma and shame are two examples, and are related to sexuality, mental health issues, and high-risk behaviors such as drug and alcohol use, lack of condom use, and sex with multiple partners. During emerging adulthood, individuals aged 18-25 are also navigating identity exploration, further shaping experiences of sexual well-being (SWB). This dissertation portfolio focused on exploring and clarifying the concept of SWB among YAGBM college students and establishing the foundation for developing a quantitative instrument to assess SWB in this population. The first manuscript examined the multifaceted and broadly defined nature of SWB through a concept analysis. This analysis synthesized the existing literature and identified essential attributes of SWB, highlighting its potential contribution to reducing high-risk behaviors in young adults. Building on this foundation, the second manuscript used interpretive phenomenology to explore the lived experiences of YAGBM regarding SWB, providing a deep understanding of how they define and navigate this concept within the context of emerging adulthood. Insights from this qualitative work contributed directly to the development of preliminary items for a SWB questionnaire. The third manuscript presents a quantitative Delphi study using a modified, two-round approach to establish content validity for the proposed instrument. Through expert consensus, this study evaluated and refined questionnaire items generated from both the literature and qualitative findings. Collectively, these manuscripts illuminate the concept of SWB and subsequent development of a tool for measuring SWB among YAGBM.