Freedom of movement, social support and psychological wellbeing: resilience against COVID-19 related loneliness among sexual minority men living in high versus low LGBT acceptance countries

Introduction The Minority Stress Theory was used to examine loneliness among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) across 14 countries with high/low LGBT acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic.Method A total of 10,905 GBMSM (Mage = 34 years; 93.2% urban; 16.2% racial/ethnic minority) were surveyed via the Hornet app. Distal and proximal stressors, social support, psychological wellbeing, and freedom of movement were assessed using multiple regression analyses.Results Barriers to freedom of movement (i.e., quarantine) was strongly linked to loneliness among GBMSM, surpassing the effect of living in LGBT acceptance countries.Conclusion Fostering community cohesion is critical during public health emergencies for the overall wellbeing of GBMSM populations.