Poster #23

The role of gender non-affirmation in oppression-based traumatic stress among transgender and gender expansive adults

By: Gabrielle Pero, M.A. Co-authored by Dylan Henry, B.A., Roxanna Llamas, M.A., and Jennifer Staples, Ph.D.

Abstract:

Transgender and gender expansive (TGE) individuals are at high risk of negative mental health outcomes due to minority stress, which is chronic stress experienced by historically marginalized groups due to societal stigma and oppression. The literature on oppression-based traumatic stress is growing, although limited research investigates this concept among TGE individuals. Gender non-affirmation (gender not being accurately perceived and acknowledged by others) is a form of TGE minority stress, and there is evidence that experiences of oppression may vary based on gender expression.  The current study recruited 162 TGE adults in the U.S. for an online survey focused broadly on oppression-based traumatic stress. Participants completed measures of non-affirmation of gender (subscale of the GMSR; Testa et al., 2015), investment in passing as cisgender (subscale of the TGIS; Bockting et al., 2020), transgender discrimination (TDS; Watson et al., 2018), everyday discrimination (EDS; Williams et al., 1997), and trauma symptoms (PCL-5; Bevins et al., 2015). Results showed a significant indirect relationship between gender non-affirmation and trauma symptoms, through both everyday discrimination [IE = .74, 95% CI [.44, 1.09]) and transgender discrimination [IE = .27, 95% CI [.10, .49]). In both models, increased non-affirmation of gender  predicted increased experiences of discrimination, which predicted increased trauma symptoms. Of note, participant’s scores on the TGIS indicated they were not invested in passing as cisgender (M = 38.38; SD = 4.52), so being perceived as cisgender by others was not their goal. These findings suggest that experiences of discrimination secondary to gender expression can result in traumatic stress for TGE individuals. Decreasing gender dysphoria on an individual level is not enough to improve the mental health and well-being of TGE individuals. Clinicians should target experiences of discrimination and oppression-based traumatic stress when working with TGE clients, and broader societal-level interventions are needed to reduce transphobia.

gabrielle pero

I am currently in my third year as a doctoral student at Alliant International University. I presented and was second author on a poster on oppression-based traumatic stress and mental health outcomes at the 2021 National LGBTQ Health Conference. I also was an author on a publication for The Journal of Contextual and Behavioral Science on psychological flexibility among transgender adults earlier this year. I have been a research assistant for the past six months on the research project that this poster presentation is based upon. Furthermore, I am writing my dissertation on oppression-based traumatic stress and disordered eating among transgender and gender expansive individuals. I have also worked clinically with transgender individual in a crisis setting, as well as served as a support group facilitator for trans youth. I have also worked as an editorial assistant in IVAT’s Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma for the past two years.