LGTBIQA+, mental health and the sporting context: a systematic review

Abstract

The majority of people who identify as lesbian, gay, trans, bisexual, intersex, queer and asexual experience some form of discrimination in the sporting environment, which increases the risk of developing mental health illnesses. The aim of this review is to provide an updated overview of the existence of LGBTIQA+ mental health conditions in the context of sport. As a search strategy, five databases were systematically searched for articles from 1996 to 2019: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Sociological Abstracts and Eric. In the review, articles relating the three areas of study: factors associated with mental health, people belonging to sexual and gender minority groups, and the sporting context, were selected. Reviews and research in English and Spanish were included. The results were captured in a data collection table. A total of 2,081 records were retrieved in the first searches, of which 26 met the inclusion criteria. The articles were classified into three fields, according to the focus of the study: 1) experience and discrimination in sport, 2) prevention and inclusion, 3) perceptions and associations of gender, identity and sexual orientation in sport. Finally, in conclusion, a high prevalence of mental health problems in LGBTIQA+ people was identified as a result of experiences in hostile and LGTBIphobic environments within the sport context.