Finding the Right Angle: A Geometric Approach to Measuring Intersectional HIV Stigma

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Public Health
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Intersectionality is crucial for advancing HIV stigma research.
• Existing psychometric measures often fail to capture the complexities of intersectional stigma.
• Contemporary theories of intersectionality and the HIV stigma framework inform this study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel conceptualization for measuring intersectional stigma.
• To propose a geometric approach for developing a psychometric instrument to measure intersectional stigma.
• To test the feasibility of a geometric approach for measuring intersectional enacted and anticipated stigma.

Main Methods:

• A geometric conceptualization of intersectional stigma using the Pythagorean Theorem (c = sqrt(a^2 + b^2)) and its extension (d = sqrt(a^2 + b^2 + c^2)).
• Assessing ratings of stigmatized attributes (gender, race, sexual orientation, HIV status) on independent scales.
• Applying the geometric model to data from Black/African American women living with HIV.

Main Results:

• The geometric approach provides a novel method for conceptualizing and measuring intersectional stigma.
• Initial testing with data from Black/African American women living with HIV showed encouraging results.
• The concept demonstrates potential for quantifying the intersection of multiple stigmatized attributes.

Conclusions:

• The proposed geometric approach offers a promising new direction for psychometric scale development in intersectional stigma research.
• Further research is warranted to refine and validate scales based on this geometric conceptualization.
• This method can enhance the understanding of how multiple forms of stigma intersect and impact individuals, particularly in the context of HIV.