Drawing on an internalized homonegativity and minority stress framework, the present study sought to address whether people engaged in consensual non-monogamy (CNM) internalize stigma toward their relationship style, and if internalized CNM negativity is associated with poorer relationship quality and functioning. We recruited a community sample of 339 people engaged in CNM (open, swinging, or polyamorous relationship) with at least two concurrent partners. Participants completed a newly developed measure of internalized CNM negativity (which assessed personal discomfort, social discomfort, and public identification) and four measures of relationship quality for each partner. Regression analyses showed that personal discomfort with CNM (e.g., wanting to change one’s relationship style or endorsing CNM as unnatural) was associated with lower satisfaction with romantic and sexual relationship agreements, global relationship satisfaction, and commitment (but not sexual satisfaction) in both concurrent relationships. The other two dimensions of internalized CNM negativity, social discomfort and public identification, were not related to relationship quality with either partner. These findings provide support for the notion that prevailing mononormativity (idealization of monogamy in society) can become applied to the self and negatively impact relationship quality. Understanding the processes in which broader societal stigma toward CNM can become internalized and affect well-being provides a new direction for research at the intersection of public health, psychology, and sexuality.

本研究利用内化的同性和少数派压力框架，试图解决参与双方同意的非一夫一妻制 (CNM) 的人们是否将对其关系风格的污名内化，以及内化的 CNM 消极性是否与较差的关系质量和功能有关。我们招募了 339 名参与 CNM（开放式、摇摆式或多角恋关系）的人的社区样本，其中至少有两个同时存在的伴侣。参与者完成了一项新开发的内化 CNM 消极性测量（评估个人不适、社会不适和公众认同）和每个合作伙伴的四种关系质量测量。回归分析表明，个人对 CNM 的不适（例如，想要改变一个人的关系风格或认可 CNM 为不自然）与对浪漫和性关系协议、全球关系满意度和两种并发关系中的承诺（但不是性满意度）的满意度较低有关。内化 CNM 消极性的另外两个维度，社会不适和公众认同，与任何一方的关系质量都无关。这些发现为盛行的一夫一妻制（社会中一夫一妻制的理想化）可以应用于自我并对关系质量产生负面影响的观点提供支持。了解更广泛的对 CNM 的社会污名可以内化并影响福祉的过程，为公共卫生、心理学和性行为的交叉研究提供了新的方向。