Sexual orientation and gender identity expression, internalized stigma, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

For college students, holding a minoritized, stigmatized sexual orientation, gender identity, or both (SOGI) may have compounded the stress and upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting not only their ability to freely express their SOGI but also their mental health and well-being. Using minority stress theory and mixed methodologies, we examined associations among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or other sexual and/or gender diverse (LGBTQ+) college students’ (N = 368, M_age = 20.5) perceived pandemic-related changes in SOGI expression, internalized LGBTQ+ stigma, and mental health. Consistent with minority stress theory, students who thought the pandemic restricted their SOGI expression and who had more internalized LGBTQ+ stigma had worse mental health than their peers. In addition, students who thought the pandemic restricted their SOGI expression perceived that their mental health worsened due to the pandemic. The importance of SOGI expression for mental health during the pandemic has implications for tailored university programming to support LGBTQ+ students’ mental health during times of stress and transition beyond the pandemic.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or other sexual and/or gender diverse (LGBTQ+) college students who thought that the pandemic restricted their sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI) expression had worse mental health than their peers and were more likely to perceive that their mental health worsened due to the pandemic. Findings underscore the importance of SOGI expression and the need for programs to support SOGI expression, especially during times of stress and transition, to promote mental health among LGBTQ+ young people.

Keywords:

• Sexual orientation and gender identity expression
• internalized stigma
• mental health
• COVID-19 pandemic
• minority stress

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from Dr. Eva S. Lefkowitz ([email protected]) upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, University of Connecticut.

Notes on contributors

Samantha E. Lawrence

Samantha E. Lawrence, Ph.D., is a researcher in the School of Social Work at the University of Connecticut, and a research affiliate in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests center on experiences of support and stigma, especially in family and school contexts, as they relate to health—and health equity—among youth.

Veronica Hanna-Walker

Veronica Hanna-Walker, M.S., is a doctoral student in human development and family sciences at the University of Connecticut. Her major interests include LGBTQ+ mental health and well-being within a religious context and sexual identity development in couples, adolescence, and emerging adulthood.

Eva S. Lefkowitz

Eva S. Lefkowitz, Ph.D., is a professor and department head of human development and family sciences at the University of Connecticut, United States. Her research focuses on sexual health, using a developmental perspective to examine predictors of negative and positive aspects of sexual health, and the broader health and relationship implications of sexual health. Most recently, she has studied LGBTQ+ college students’ well-being during major disruptions (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic).