COVID-19 and LGBTQ+ Mental Health
come to believe that this may be a result of LGBTQ+ identifying individuals experiencing microaggressions, overt aggressions, identity confusion, and internalized homophobia (Meyer, 2013; Ross et al., 2018). College campuses also have the potential to improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ students. When LGBTQ+ individuals have safe community-oriented queer spaces to process impactful events in their lives, they perceive less social isolation and are met with more wholly advantageous coping strategies (Jackson, 2017). Community building and consistent access to these different support networks are crucial for LGBTQ+ students to manage anxieties surrounding their identities and life experiences, so that they can fully commit themselves to flourishing during their time in school and beyond (Leider, 2012; Ottenritter, 2012). Given the nature of collegiate institutions, LGBTQ+ populations, compared to their heterosexual peers, are more likely to experience mental health disparities which may have been exacerbated since the COVID-19 pandemic (Salerno et al., 2020). Current Study There is currently very little research available that seeks to understand the connection between anxiety in LGBTQ+ college students and the COVID-19 pandemic (Meyer, 2013; Ross et al., 2018; Seelman et al., 2017). While it is understandable that this research is not widely available yet due to the recency of the pandemic and the number of subpopulations affected by it, it is especially important to look at LGBTQ+ college students, because they are already at a higher risk of anxiety than their peers (Meyer, 2013; Salerno et al., 2020). Additionally, by focusing on this community, research can strive to discover trends in LGBTQ+ college students’ experiences with anxiety and prevent them from becoming more prevalent in the future. Experience with anxiety, in this case, will focus on symptoms (e.g., panic attacks, increased heart rate, feelings of being out of control, etc.), access to support systems, and environmental factors. This qualitative study, thus, explored the following research question: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the experience of anxiety in LGBTQ+ college students? Method Participants Fourteen LGBTQ+ identifying students from New York University (NYU), recruited via social media, class forums, and word of mouth, participated in the study. Participants were told they must identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community and be currently enrolled at NYU to be eligible for the study. Students were also given the opportunity to request a specific interviewer to reduce response biases and encourage more open responses. All respondents (N=14) identified as one or more of the following racial/ethnic identities: White (47.1%), Black (17.6%), Latine (23.5%), and Asian (11.8%), and one or more of the following LGBTQ+ identities: lesbian (24%), gay (16%), bisexual (12%), transgender (8%), pansexual (4%), queer (36%).
The following gender identities were also represented: cisgender female (62.5%), transgender (12.5%), and nonbinary (25%) with differing combinations of she/her (62.5%), they/them (31.3%), and he/him pronouns (6.3%). Procedure This study was conducted via 20-minute semi-structured Zoom interviews where participants were asked to report demographic information such as pronouns, gender identity, LGBTQ+ identity, ethnicity, age, and year in college. For questions such as gender identity, LGBTQ+ identity, and ethnicity, participants were not given options to choose and were encouraged to list any and all terms that they identify with. Participants were also asked questions about their experiences since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and anxiety. The questions about the participants’ experiences with anxiety and COVID-19 can be found in Appendix A. Results All interviews were recorded and then transcribed by the interviewers. Researchers used the principles of grounded theory to code the semi-structured interviews, by coding 21% of the transcripts and discussing and defining common themes related to the research question (Chun Tie et al., 2019). The codes that were generated based on the emergent themes are: anxiety surrounding routine (anxiety linked to changes in everyday life and uncertainties as a result of COVID-19), anxiety surrounding uncertainty (anxiety linked to unforeseen changes in previously secure long-term environments such as employment, housing, and community), social isolation (a decrease in daily interpersonal interactions and ultimate feelings of detachment from their communities), lack of normality (reported feelings of continued distress and inability to adjust comfortability into the world as affected by COVID-19), and less mental capacity (a lack of self-reported cognitive capabilities to perform everyday responsibilities such as homework, attending class or work, and personal maintenance). Analysis of the data highlighted that 34% percent of participants indicated they were experiencing “anxiety surrounding uncertainty” over the past month. This included anxiety about relocating, changes in employment, and financial instability. Additionally, 13 out of the 14 participants indicated they were struggling with changes in everyday life, as well as “anxiety surrounding changes in routine” as a result of COVID-19. These changes included a shift to online learning due to COVID-19, adjusting to different workloads in employment or unemployment, moving locations during the pandemic, and shifting daily activities to a more indoor environment. Eightysix percent of the participants reported that they were lacking a sense of normality in their daily interpersonal interactions. This included participants feeling equipped to adjust to a reorganized change in normality, and professors failing to recognize student accommodations due to COVID-19 related issues. Throughout the pandemic, community engagement (e.g., Research | 43
