The Relationship Between Empowerment and Mental Health Among the LGBTQ Population: A Scoping Review.

Due to discrimination and structural cisheteronormativity, the LGBTQ+ population faces high stress and mental health issues within both historical oppression and the current sociopolitical environment. The historical struggle for rights remains a key pathway to empowerment, a multidimensional process involving control, agency, and participation at intrapersonal, interpersonal/community, and sociopolitical levels. To map the scientific literature on the relationship between empowerment and the mental health of the LGBTQ population. A scoping review in accordance with the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute. A total of 294 publications were identified; after blind and paired assessment of titles, abstracts, and full texts, 25 studies were included. Empowerment in the community (connection and support), intrapersonal (self-acceptance), and sociopolitical (activism) dimensions was associated with positive mental health outcomes, such as greater resilience and lower depression. The absence of empowerment, marked by isolation and limited family support, was linked to worse mental health outcomes, including suicidal risk. Activism showed ambivalent effects, with long-term benefits, but also political fatigue in hostile contexts. This review positions empowerment as a strategic axis for promoting LGBTQ+ mental health, fostering protective factors, reducing vulnerabilities, and promoting well-being, autonomy, and social participation.