Evaluating the effectiveness of a brief online positive identity intervention for transgender people.

Abstract

Transgender people report high levels of discrimination, prejudice, stigma-related anxiety and depression, and suicidality. In socially, politically, and religiously conservative areas, emphasis on traditional gender roles may lead to heightened levels of stigma-related stress and anxiety in transgender people and pose additional challenges to the development of positive transgender identities. Using a pre-/posttest experimental design, we evaluated an online resource aimed at increasing positive identity and psychological well-being (PWB) in young adult transgender individuals living in the Southeast and Midwest United States. Participants, ages 18–26, were randomized into two groups to watch either a video about positive transgender identity (intervention; n = 24) or a video with general information about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer people (control; n = 14). Both groups completed preintervention and 2-week post measures of positive identity and PWB. One-way analysis of variance of pre–post difference scores suggested that the intervention group reported significantly increased community connectedness, positive affect, and positive relations with others, and significantly lowered depressive symptom scores compared to the control group. Findings suggest that brief online interventions may be useful in supporting emotional health in transgender people; however, additional community supports may be crucial to positive identity development.