Minority Stress in Nonbinary Students in Higher Education: The Role of Campus Climate and Belongingness

Increasing numbers of studies have begun to focus on minority stress within transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming (TNG) populations. These studies indicate a strong positive relationship between minority stress and increased mental health concerns. However, little research has been conducted on nonbinary students enrolled in institutions of higher education, despite a growing number of young adults and emerging adults identifying with this label. The current study sought to fill this gap by understanding minority stress among nonbinary students in higher education. The sample included nonbinary students (N = 380), who filled out measures that focused on the impact of minority stress experiences, perceived institutional climate, and sense of belonging. The participants in this study reported higher levels of minority stress compared with sexual and gender minority samples using similar measures. A hierarchical linear regression was conducted to test direct relationships among the constructs. The findings revealed that nonbinary students who did not feel as though they belonged on campus or felt that the climate was positive reported more of an impact of minority stress than those who reported more belongingness and a better climate. These results signify the importance of attending to belongingness and climate when considering ways that institutions of higher education can better welcome and nurture nonbinary individuals. Thus, higher education campuses should include training and programming that focus on nonbinary students to ensure smooth transitions and healthy educational environments. Public Significance Statement This study indicates that it is important for higher education learning environments to focus on an inclusive climate and foster belongingness for nonbinary students. Specifically, students report less of an impact of minority stress when climate and belongingness on campus are improved; this suggests the importance of targeting policies and practices on campus to improve climate and belongingness for nonbinary students.