LGBTQ+ College Students’ Engagement in COVID-Protective and COVID-Risk Behaviors

Lawrence, Samantha E.; Walters, Tracy L.; Clark, Alyssa; Zhang, Y.; Hanna‐Walker, Veronica; Farina, R. E.; Lefkowitz, Eva S.

doi:10.1177/21676968211039302

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Thus, having social support from the family seemed to have a prominent effect on the perception of adversity and pointed to family support being a particularly important resource for LGBTQ+ young adults during the first wave of the pandemic. With the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a decrease in face-to-face access to friends, and young adults may have become more reliant on family support [ 93 ]. Moreover, despite the increasing importance of friends during emergent adulthood, there is some evidence that individuals’ internal working models of attachment to parents remain critical when under stress [ 94 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Adjustment Profiles of LGBTQ+ Young Adults Residing with Their Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Study

Vázquez

Gato

Coimbra

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with poor mental health symptoms, particularly among vulnerable populations such as LGBTQ+ individuals. In the present study, we aimed to (i) identify different psychological adjustment profiles among LGBTQ+ young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare LGBTQ+ young adults in relation to (ii) sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19-related experiences and (iii) the internal and external protective resources associated with each adjustment profile. An online questionnaire was administered to 1699 LGBTQ+ young adults from six countries (Brazil, Chile, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, and the UK). A cluster analysis was conducted, and four profiles of psychological adjustment were identified: unchallenged, resilient, distressed, and at-risk. The at-risk cluster scored lowest in social support (particularly from family). The profiles of participants who experienced the highest levels of pandemic adversity (at-risk and resilient) comprised mostly South American participants, those under lockdown at the time of survey completion, those who self-identified as transgender and non-binary, and those with a plurisexual sexual orientation. Interventions should consider strategies to help young adults maintain support systems and reinforce the value of positive family relationships. Specific groups within the LGBTQ+ community that seem to be in a particularly vulnerable situation may need additional tailored support.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Adjustment Profiles of LGBTQ+ Young Adults Residing with Their Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Study

Vázquez

Gato

Coimbra

et al. 2023

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These findings suggest that family support may be particularly important for LGBTQ+ college students during the pandemic. One possible explanation is that many students returned to live with family during the pandemic when social distancing guidelines eliminated or decreased in-person access to friends (Lawrence et al, 2021) and thus, students may have become more reliant on support from family. Second, despite the increasing importance of friends in young adulthood, individuals' internal working models of attachment to parents remain fundamental when under stress (Gorrese & Ruggieri, 2012).…”

Section: Interpersonal Relationships Mattered More Than Status Indica...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For many LGBTQ+ students, college campuses may serve as a supportive environment compared to precollege environments due to the potential of increased peer acceptance and access to SOGI-related resources (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2020a). However, campus closures at the start of the pandemic displaced millions of students, with many moving to live with parents (Fry et al, 2020;Lawrence et al, 2021). Many LGBTQ+ college students have not disclosed their SOGI to their parents or have parents who do not support their identity, both of which could serve as additional minority stressors and lead to rejection (HRC, 2018(HRC, , 2020.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

How social support and parent–child relationship quality relate to LGBTQ+ college students’ well-being during COVID-19.

Zhang¹,

Farina²,

Lawrence³

et al. 2022

Journal of Family Psychology

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The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively impacted the well-being of many college students, particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) students who are already at a disproportionate risk for negative mental health and well-being outcomes. To identify potential risk and protective factors we examined LGBTQ+ college students' disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, or both (SOGI) to mothers and fathers, living arrangements (whether or not students lived with mothers and fathers), social support from family and friends, and parent-child relationship quality and their association with stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and problem drinking during the pandemic. LGBTQ+ college students (N = 366; M age = 20.4) completed an online survey. Students who reported more social support from family and friends and better quality relationships with mothers or fathers had better well-being and were less likely to perceive a substantial decrease in their well-being due to the pandemic. In contrast, SOGI disclosure and whether or not students lived with mothers or fathers were generally unrelated to well-being. Findings suggest that universities should consider offering mental health resources for students living on-and off-campus, and that clinical professionals should consider strategies to help these young adults identify and maintain support systems and highlight the value of positive parent-child relationships.

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The Influence of Health-Related Behavior Profiles on College Students’ Perceptions of COVID-19 Safety Measures

Shank,

Korovich,

Nicoletti

et al. 2024

J Community Health

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College students often engage in multiple health-related behaviors simultaneously which can lead to negative outcomes and further risky behaviors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students reported decreased condom use, increased solitary cannabis use, and increased alcohol consumption. This current study aimed to (1) identify profiles of health-related behaviors (i.e., alcohol consumption, cannabis use, and sexual behaviors), and (2) determine if these profiles would differ in engagement and perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 preventative measures. Participants were 273 college students from a large Northeastern U.S. public university who completed surveys about health-related behaviors during the 2021 academic year. We used a latent profile analysis to identify distinct subgroups of college students based on their engagement in health-related behaviors. Based on fit indices a three-profile solution showed the best fit: low (N = 196), moderate (N = 54), and high (N = 23). Two one-way ANOVAs examined whether profile membership predicted engagement and perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 safety measures. Participants in the low health-related behaviors profile engaged in preventative measures more than students in the other two profiles. However, profile membership did not predict perceived effectiveness of preventative behaviors. Taken together, our results indicate that college students reporting lower levels of health-related behaviors engage in more preventative measures during a pandemic. Understanding distinct health-related behaviors profiles among college students, and their links with COVID-preventative health-related behaviors, can inform prevention strategies.

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LGBTQ+ College Students’ Engagement in COVID-Protective and COVID-Risk Behaviors

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

Psychological Adjustment Profiles of LGBTQ+ Young Adults Residing with Their Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Study

Psychological Adjustment Profiles of LGBTQ+ Young Adults Residing with Their Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Study

How social support and parent–child relationship quality relate to LGBTQ+ college students’ well-being during COVID-19.

The Influence of Health-Related Behavior Profiles on College Students’ Perceptions of COVID-19 Safety Measures

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