Critical reflections and reflexivity on responding to the needs of LGBTQ+ youth in a global pandemic

AFFIRM
Written By INQYR

Iacono, G., Craig, S. L., & Pascoe, R.  (2021). Critical reflections and reflexivity on responding to the needs of LGBTQ+ youth in a global pandemic. Journal of Qualitative Social Work: QSW Research and Practice, 20(1-2), 479-486. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325020981080

Highlights

Background

  • LGBTQ+ youth may face increased stressors amidst the pandemic given their significant mental and sexual health disparities, pervasive rejection, and lack of access to essential resources

  • Responsive and tailored mental health supports are needed at this time for vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth

Study Description

  • This paper highlights our swift response as qualitative social work researchers and practitioners, who are not immune to pandemic-related stressors, in supporting the needs of vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth across Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • The importance of critical reflexivity is explored in the context of transitioning essential offline mental health services to a technology-mediated mental health affirmative cognitive behavioural intervention (i.e. AFFIRM), and this paper provides important insights gleaned in this process

Key Findings

  • At the beginning of the pandemic, we discussed the risks and benefits of providing a familiar service, with an unfamiliar online platform

  • Ultimately, we felt that the benefits of providing an immediate service greatly outweighed the potential risks of meeting youth online while they were quarantining

  • During self-isolation, our desires and efforts to support LGBTQ+ youth have been informed by the following factors:

    • Working through feelings of helplessness

    • Positionality and social locations

    • Showing up and being effective with LGBTQ+ youth during a pandemic – meeting where they are at, transparency and vulnerability

Conclusions

  • LGBTQ+ youth have reported valuing vulnerable support, and it ultimately took a combination of critical reflection, meditation, clinical consultation, and deepened communication to be present for the LGBTQ+ youth we wanted to support through this pandemic

  • By responding to LGBTQ+ youth’s desire for immediate and comprehensive support during our research projects, and offering them the space to process difficult emotions, we have cultivated our own reflexivity and contributed to our own wellbeing as well as that of our LGBTQ+ youth participants during these particularly trying times

 
INQYR
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Adapting clinical skills to telehealth: Applications of affirmative cognitive-behavioural therapy with LGBTQ+ youth