Examining Mental Health Among Multiply Minoritized College Students

Mental health among college students is a significant public health issue. Although mental health disparities by race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation have been well documented among college students, the exploration of mental health among multiple minoritized college students is lacking. This study aimed to address a gap in college health research by assessing how mental health issues among college students differ by the intersectionality of race/ethnicity with sexual and gender identity. A secondary analysis of American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III data was employed. Participants comprised 1,465 students attending a large research university. Differences were observed for hazing (p<.01), microaggression (p<.001), sexual harassment (p<.001), and discrimination (p<.001) such that participants identified as double minority reported more experiences compared with double majority, single minority- race/ethnicity, and single minority-sexual/gender. Double minority and single minority- sexual/gender participants were also observed with higher rates of poor/fair health (p<.05), psychological distress, loneliness, suicide risk, and self-injury (all p<.001) and lower rates of belonging, flourishing, and resiliency (all p<.001). This study highlights the need for research and evaluation to shift from a focus on one layer of stratification, such as race/ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation to a focus on the impact of multiple minoritized identities when exploring college student mental health.