Experiences of minority stress and mental health burdens of newly arrived LGBTQ* refugees in Germany
- \(\bf Introduction\) While many refugees have settled in Germany within recent years, little is known about LGBTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer*) refugees, a potentially vulnerable group. This qualitative study investigated LGBTQ* refugees' experiences of distal and proximal minority stressors as well as their mental health burdens during the post-migration period. \(\bf Methods\) In 2018, 26 self-identified LGBTQ* refugees were recruited in community centers of different metropolitan areas of Germany and interviewed in three focus groups. Anonymized transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. \(\bf Results\) LGBTQ* refugees experienced discrimination based on their intersecting identities. Some described daily occurrences and higher rates in comparison with premigration. Moreover, LGBTQ* refugees reported expectations of rejection and thus concealed their identities, while some also demonstrated identity acceptance. Reported mental health burdens covered internalizing symptoms as well as low levels of well-being. \(\bf Conclusions\) Findings suggest that LGBTQ* refugees are especially vulnerable to multiple forms of discrimination based on their intersecting identities. For a subgroup of participants, both discrimination experiences and mental health burdens subjectively increased during post-migration. \(\textbf {Policy Implications}\) Our evidence substantiated that LGBTQ* refugees need to be distinctively acknowledged in social policies to counter their specific patterns of experienced discrimination and improve their mental health.
Author: | Jasmine GolembeGND, Birgit LeyendeckerORCiDGND, Nada MaalejGND, Annalena GundlachGND, Julian BuschORCiDGND |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-95542 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-020-00508-z |
Parent Title (English): | Sexuality research & social policy |
Publisher: | Springer Nature |
Place of publication: | New York |
Document Type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2023/01/02 |
Date of first Publication: | 2020/11/17 |
Publishing Institution: | Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek |
Tag: | Discrimination; Intersectionality; LGBTQ*; Mental health; Minority stress; Refugees |
Volume: | 18 |
First Page: | 1049 |
Last Page: | 1059 |
Note: | Dieser Beitrag ist auf Grund des DEAL-Springer-Vertrages frei zugänglich. |
Institutes/Facilities: | Fakultät für Psychologie, Arbeitsgruppe Child and Family Research |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | Philosophie und Psychologie / Psychologie |
open_access (DINI-Set): | open_access |
faculties: | Fakultät für Psychologie |
Licence (English): | Creative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International |