Testing trans identity pride as a mental health resilience factor among trans and gender diverse adults
Date
2023
Authors
Egli, Madison R., author
Prince, Mark, advisor
Brenner, Rachel, committee member
Matsuno, Em, committee member
Dockendorff, Kari, committee member
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Abstract
Trans and gender diverse (TGD) people in the US report disproportionately higher rates of mental health concerns than cisgender heterosexual and LGB individuals, as well as the U.S. population more broadly (Borgogna et al., 2019; James et al., 2016; Su et al., 2016). This study tested part of the recently introduced Transgender Resilience Intervention Model (TRIM; Matsuno & Israel, 2018) to examine the moderation effects of identity pride on the relationships between two TGD minority stressors (rejection, negative expectations for the future) and mental health outcomes with a sample of 514 TGD adults in the United States. Originally, I tested a moderated mediation path model using PROCESS syntax in MPlus wherein rejection predicted depression and anxiety through negative expectations for the future, with identity pride moderating the relationship between negative expectations for the future and mental health outcomes. However, the model was not interpretable due to poor model fit indices. Post-hoc model revisions revealed a model wherein rejection predicted greater negative expectations for the future through increased depression and anxiety. In contrast with hypotheses, conditional indirect effects revealed a trend in which TGD individuals high in identity pride were more negatively impacted by experiences of rejection. These results suggest that identity pride, although important for promoting wellness among TGD individuals (Singh et al., 2013), may render TGD adults more vulnerable for developing depression and anxiety following gender-identity-based rejection. Given the relatively small sample size in the current study for detecting moderation effects, future research should examine these relationships in larger studies of TGD individuals in the United States to further understand the impact of identity pride on minority stress in TGD communities.
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Subject
minority stress
identity pride
transgender