LGBTQ Rumination, Anxiety, Depression, and Community Connection During Trump’s Presidency

Historically, feelings of community connection have been linked to decreases in negative mental health outcomes for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals. However, scholarship has consistently focused this research on lesbian women and gay men, without acknowledging the potential nuances within the LGBTQ community. The present study assessed 250 sexual and gender minority individuals’ perceptions of their own feelings of rumination and connection to the LGBTQ community as well as the mental health outcomes of anxiety and depression during the Trump administration. A moderation analysis using the PROCESS macro assessed the impact that connection to community had on the relationship between sexual orientation rumination and anxiety and depression during the Trump administration. Results indicate that within the overall sample, having a stronger connection to community was associated with more negative mental health outcomes. However, results also indicate that the closer an individual felt to the LGBTQ community, the more they acknowledged rumination. Discussion focuses on how mental health providers can work to help LGBTQ clients build community, interrupt ruminative processes, and facilitate lower psychological distress in order to enhance psychological health and wellness.