| dc.description.abstract | This study investigates the multifaceted experiences and resilience strategies of LGBTQ+ youth in Tennessee, a region marked by heightened stigma. Through focus group interviews and semi-structured individual interviews conducted via Zoom, a total of 16 LGBTQ+ youth aged 14-24 residing in Tennessee participated in the study. The research explores the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth in navigating a high-stigma environment while seeking support and engaging in resilience strategies. Despite encountering systemic barriers and discrimination, LGBTQ+ youth demonstrate remarkable resilience through engagement in collective activism and advocacy endeavors. Supportive family members, LGBTQ+ friends and peers, affirming mental healthcare providers, and affirming social media encounters emerge as crucial spheres of resilience, buffering against the detrimental effects of minority stressors. These findings underscore the importance of adopting a more nuanced approach to understanding mental health disparities among marginalized populations and highlight the critical need for interventions that promote well-being and resilience within high-stigma contexts. By amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ youth, centering their experiences, and developing interventions grounded in a desire-centered research approach, this study contributes to creating more inclusive and affirming environments for all members of the LGBTQ+ community | en_US |
