Mental health and its drivers in lesbian, bisexual and queer-identifying women at a South African higher education institution : a qualitative study

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Many university students have poor mental health, and sexual minority students may be particularly vulnerable. This study explored lived experiences and drivers of poor mental health amongst lesbian and bisexual students in a South African university. METHODS : Three focus-group discussions were conducted in isiZulu on three campuses, with 56 participants between 18 and 30 years old, identified through the campus LGBTQI + forum. A topic guide with open-ended questions on mental health experiences guided the FGDs. Discussions were audio recorded, translated and transcribed into English. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted, with emerging themes confirmed in a meeting with a subsample of participants (member checking). RESULTS : Three main themes emerged: (i) Experiences of mental health problems and resilience, (ii) drivers of poor mental health across the life course and (iii) drivers of poor mental health in current student life. Participants articulated a deep self-awareness of their distress and the impact on their academic and personal lives. They described how their poor mental health impacted their academic performance, self-care and relationships, contributing to a sense of overwhelm. Substance use, particularly alcohol and marijuana, was widely reported. Participants also identified resilience factors, chief amongst which was social interaction through supportive friendships and connections within the LGBTQI + community. The early drivers of poor mental health identified by participants included rejection by family based on their sexuality, the burden of meeting societal expectations of women in their cultural context and the pressures created by religious beliefs about minority sexual identities. Participants highlighted the strain of navigating their sexual identity in unaccepting environments, which led to feelings of self-stigma and emotional exhaustion. Homophobia on campus further exacerbated their distress, with participants highlighting experiences of verbal abuse and discrimination. CONCLUSIONS : This study describes experiences of poor mental health of sexual minority women students in South Africa. Mental health promotion interventions for campus environments, including approaches that build self-acceptance and foster social support, are urgently needed to address drivers of poor mental health. This should include multicomponent psychoeducational interventions that affirm gender and sexuality, promote mental health literacy and self-acceptance and enhance healthy coping strategies and resilience.