Who I am: Reflections on a successful bisexual research method

Abstract

Bisexual people have consistently been found to experience poorer mental health than their lesbian, gay and heterosexual counterparts and more research is urgently needed to shed greater light on the reasons behind this phenomenon. However, due to the paucity of such research, there is a severe limitation of methodological insights to inform future research. This article presents the methodological approach of the recent Who I Am study with a particular focus on the effective recruitment strategies that allowed the research team to overcome common barriers to recruitment with this population. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey method and, through the incorporation of an extensive recruitment strategy and comprehensive survey instrument, successfully recruited one of the largest samples of bisexual people to date ( n = 2,651). Sharing methodological successes and challenges in this field will prove valuable in informing much needed future research.