Citation

Patev AJ, Hall CJ, Dunn CE, Bell AD, Owens BD, Hood KB. Pers. Individ. Dif. 2019; 151: e109528.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.paid.2019.109528

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Abortion rates in the United States have declined from 2008 to 2014. However, these figures might not account for all abortions; studies have estimated that less than half of abortion procedures performed are reported. Abortion stigmatizing attitudes are one reason for the lack of disclosure about abortion. Additionally, increased stigma is related to negative mental and physical health outcomes among individuals seeking abortion. As such, a more refined understanding of factors related to abortion stigmatizing attitudes is necessary. The present study examined relationships between sexual disgust and abortion stigmatizing attitudes, and the mediating effects of hostile sexism and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA). These relationships were examined in two samples, culled online via Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Controlling for age and gender, both studies found that increased disgust was linked to increased abortion stigmatizing attitudes, with significant, independent indirect effects of both hostile sexism and RWA. Importantly, in both samples, hostile sexism and RWA mediated the connection between sexual disgust and abortion stigmatizing attitudes. Specifically, increased sexual disgust was related to more sexism, which was connected to increased RWA; in turn, more RWA was linked to more stigmatizing abortion attitudes. These findings provide numerous pathways for better understanding and combating abortion stigma.

Language: en

Keywords

Abortion; Abortion stigma; Reproductive health; Right-wing authoritarianism; Sexism; Sexual disgust