Experiences of Minority Stress and Mental Health Burdens of Newly Arrived LGBTQ* Refugees in Germany
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Experiences of Minority Stress and Mental Health Burdens of Newly Arrived LGBTQ* Refugees in Germany J. Golembe1 · B. Leyendecker1 · N. Maalej1 · A. Gundlach1 · J. Busch1 Accepted: 13 October 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Keywords LGBTQ* · Refugees · Discrimination · Mental health · Intersectionality · Minority stress
Introduction Between 2015 and 2018, approximately 1.5 million people sought asylum in Germany (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge 2020).1 While official statistics on asylum claims based on sexual orientation or gender identity are not available for European countries including Germany, numbers are estimated to be significantly high (FRA—European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights 2017). Thus far, little psychological research has been conducted at the intersection of LGBTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer*) and flight, especially within European countries. Still, such research in Germany is highly relevant, as it continues to be the only European Union member country among the top ten refugee-receiving countries in the world (UNHCR 2019). * J. Busch [email protected] 1
Child and Family Research, Faculty for Psychology, RuhrUniversity, Bochum, Germany
Research with the general LGBTQ* community as well as with refugees populations has shown that both groups are at an increased risk of developing mental health issues—compared with either non-refugees (Porter & Haslam 2005) or heterosexual peers (Mays & Cochran 2001; Meyer 2003; Mustanski et al. 2016), which can
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