Risk and resilience in a time of crisis: The experiences of LGBTQ+ youth and young adults participating in a virtual AFFIRMative CBT group (AFFIRM Online) during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020–2022

Abstract

Introduction: LGBTQ+ youth experience significant mental health challenges, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This empirically explores the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth during COVID and their participation in AFFIRM Online, a digital affirmative CBT intervention. Methods: Thematic analysis of longitudinal qualitative questionnaires explored the experiences of 184 LGBTQ+ youth during waves 1–5 of the pandemic.Result: Three themes emerged: (a) Connecting with Community During Lockdown; (b) Fostering Calm in the Chaos; and (c) Developing Hope and Coping Skills for a “Post-COVID” Future. Conclusion: Digital interventions can help LGBTQ+ youth develop coping skills that support resilience during a significant crisis.

Keywords:

• LGBTQ+
• COVID-19
• Youth and young adults
• Mental health
• Affirmative CBT

Ethics statement

This study received ethical approval from the University of Toronto Health Sciences Research Ethics Board.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

Due to the therapeutic context that the data were collected in and related ethical concerns, supporting data is not available.

Additional information

Funding

This was supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) under grant number 1718-HQ-000697 and by a Partnership Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) under grant number #895-2018-1000.