Associations between living arrangement and sexual and gender minority stressors among university students since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective To examine the associations between COVID-19-related living arrangements and sexual and gender minority (SGM)-related stressors (ie, identity concealment and familial rejection). Participants N = 478 SGM university students (M age = 22 years, SD = 4.00). Methods SGM university students were surveyed cross-sectionally between May and August 2020 regarding SGM-related stressors and living arrangements since the start of COVID-19. Results Approximately half (48.7%) of the sample reported a living rearrangement to their parents’ home due to COVID-19. Living rearrangement to parents’ homes was associated with an increased degree of identity concealment (β [95% C.I.] = 0.62 [0.10, 1.15]; p = .020) and familial rejection (β [95% C.I.] = 1.56 [0.72, 2.41]; p < .001) since the start of COVID-19 compared to stably living without parents (34.3%). Stably living with parents (17.0%) was not associated with increased degree of SGM-related stressors compared to experiencing a living rearrangement. Conclusions Stakeholders must consider the unique identity-related vulnerabilities of SGM students living with parents and who experience living rearrangements due to COVID-19.