Anxiety, COVID-19 risk, and LGBTQ+ youth's participation in an affirming summer camp

Rising levels of generalized anxiety among LGBTQ+ youth during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suggest a need for understanding effective interventions for reducing anxiety, as well as factors influencing youth's risk perceptions and trust pertaining to mental health-focused programming. The current survey-based study captures generalized anxiety, COVID-19 risk perceptions, and trust in a camp organization among 181 youth ages 12 to 18 who participated in an overnight camp for young LGBTQ+ people. Results show that youths' perceived risk pertaining to COVID-19 at camp was negatively associated with trust in the camp organization and positively associated with generalized anxiety. Participants' anxiety decreased during camp, and changes in anxiety were influenced by trust in the camp. Findings suggest the importance of trust in engaging LGBTQ+ youth with supportive group programming in the pandemic context, but they also indicate the potential limits of trust in fostering anxiety reduction over time.