IMPACT OF COVID-19 RELATED STRESSORS ON ALCOHOL INVOLVEMENT AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS POST-COLLEGE: COMPARING LGBTQ+ AND HETEROSEXUAL/UNDEFINED-SEXUALITY YOUNG ADULTS
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
; 46:175A-176A, 2022.
Article
in English
| EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1937889
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
Previous research has established that LGBTQ+ young adults experience increased rates of mental health morbidity and substance use compared to their heterosexual peers. Recent research suggests these disparities are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic possibly due to barriers in receiving mental health treatment, instability in home environments, and other unique minority stressors. The current study examines group differences between LGBTQ+ and heterosexual/ undefined-sexuality young adults with longitudinal self-report data comparing pre- and duringpandemic timepoints. Three main aims are addressed comparing group differences 1) Expected declines in alcohol involvement and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic post-college, 2) Experiences of stressors encountered during the pandemic, and 3) Pandemic-related stress exposure explaining alcohol involvement and depressive symptoms post-college.Methods:
Participants (N = 138) completed a follow-up survey (“time 2”;summer 2021) to the REAL-U study administered to a larger sample of undergraduates (“time 1”;2015-2016). The followup survey assessed alcohol involvement, depressive symptoms, and certain stressors (loneliness, isolation, family-related). Sexual orientation was dichotomized into LGBTQ+ (n = 27) and heterosexual/ undefined (n = ).Results:
Two path analyses tested whether isolation, loneliness, and family-related stressors mediate the association between sexual orientation and alcohol involvement (model 1;chi-square (4) = 4.65, p = 0.33;RMSEA = 0.03;CFA = 1.0) and depressive symptoms (model 2;chi-square (4) = 4.16, p = 0.38;RMSEA = 0.02;CFA = 1.0), controlling for race, age, and outcomes assessed at time 1. LGBTQ+ young adults showed greater family-related stress (b = 0.15;p = 0.06) and loneliness (b = 0.38;p < 0.01). Loneliness in turn predicted greater young adult alcohol involvement after controlling for collegiate alcohol involvement (b = 0.17;p = 0.03);but the indirect effect was not significant. However, the indirect effect was (marginally) significant in predicting time 2 depression (b = 0.09;p = 0.06), such that LGBTQ+ young adults reported greater loneliness in the pandemic (b = 0.29;p < 0.05) which predicted greater depression (b = 0.11;p < 0.05).Conclusions:
LGBTQ+ young adults appear to experience greater levels of loneliness and familyrelated stress post-college in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, these stressors help explain heightened levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood. Future research needs to explore more nuanced elements of loneliness and family-related stress to better understand why the LGBTQ+ population is particularly vulnerable to these stressors, which in turn can help guide clinical care and intervention for this unique population.
alcohol; adult; adulthood; animal experiment; animal model; conference abstract; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; depression; female; follow up; heterosexuality; human; LGBTQIA+ people; loneliness; male; nonhuman; outcome assessment; pandemic; path analysis; physiological stress; race; self report; sexual orientation; sexuality; summer
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
EMBASE
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Language:
English
Journal:
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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