Description
Objective: Individuals with diverse sexual and gender orientations (i.e., identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, non-binary, transgender, or otherwise as non-heterosexual or non cis-gender) are particularly vulnerable to the adverse psychosocial ramifications of COVID-19-related control measures such as lockdowns, social distancing, and shelter-in-place measures. Recent evidence has documented how individual and structural vulnerabilities, such as pre-existing mental health concerns and legal discrimination, interacted with new forms of pandemic-related stressors specific to these populations, so called pandemic-related minority stress. This results in heightened mental health risks for sexual and gender-diverse individuals during the crisis. However, structural blind spots in data collection and a lack of awareness of these stressors have hampered translation into clinical and therapeutic practice. Method: Data from a pan-European study led by the non-governmental organization EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women with diverse sexual orientations (N = 1,868 from 23 countries) were analyzed using a series of frequentist and Bayesian multilevel linear and logistic regression models. Results: We found that internalized forms of pandemic-related minority stress (e.g., loneliness and reduced access to community spaces; distress due to being confined in a heteronormative environments; feelings of unsafety) and reduced access to special medical and psychosocial treatment (e.g., hormone or psychotherapy) emerged as critical predictors of pandemic-related mental distress. At the individual level, having a diverse gender orientation and young age were the most significant factors associated with pandemic-related minority stressors. At the structural level, this was the legal climate for sexual and gender minorities. Discussion: Individuals with diverse sexual and gender orientations are facing unique mental health risks during the pandemic, which practitioners and other stakeholders need to adequately address. Close collaborations with community-based organizations, continued psychosocial and medical services, and knowledge about pre-existing vulnerabilities and population-specific stressors and resources are crucial in fostering resiliency in sexual and gender-diverse populations in times of crisis.| Period | 8 Jun 2022 |
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| Event title | 1. Deutscher Psychotherapiekongress: Vielfalt, Innovation und Evidenz |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Berlin, GermanyShow on map |