Gender Minority Stress and Depressive Symptoms in Transitioned Swiss Transpersons

Abstract

Compared to the general population, transpersons are exposed to higher levels of discrimination and violence. The stigmatization of transpersons can lead to physical and psychological problems. In particular, transindividuals exhibit a higher prevalence of depression compared to the cispopulation. The gender minority stress model (GMSM) provides a comprehensive theoretical basis to interpret these biopsychosocial interactions. Using the GMSM, this study aimed to identify associations between experience of stigmatization and the mental health of transitioned transpersons using correlational analyses and multiple regression models. In total, 143 transpersons were recruited. Multivariate analyses identified three variables (i.e., unemployment, nonaffirmation of gender identity, and internalized transphobia) to explain variance of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, a mediation of the proximal factors between distal factors and depressive symptoms was found. However, the moderating effect of resilience factors was not demonstrated. The results confirmed the importance of distal and proximal minority stressors for the mental health of transpersons. At the same time, the protective influence of resilience factors seemed to be surprisingly minor. In the treatment of transpersons, practitioners should not only focus on somatic aspects, but also consider the person's previous experiences of stigmatization.

Quality of Life in Transitioned Trans Persons: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Cohort Study

“…As a result, nonbinary individuals are more likely to be confronted with stigmatization experiences, which can lead to higher minority stress levels [ 26 ] and increased self-reported disability [ 28 ]. This in turn has a negative impact on mental health [ 28 ] and especially the emergence of clinically relevant depressive [ 2 ] and anxiety disorders [ 29 ], which ultimately affects QoL.…”

“…GD can present with a strong rejection of the anatomical characteristics—primarily the sexual features [ 1 ]. Furthermore, because of the ubiquitous social stigma that trans persons experience [ 2 ], GD can lead to negative self-image and mental health problems [ 3 – 5 ]. In particular, many trans individuals experience depressive episodes during their lifetime, which in the worst case are associated with suicidal behavior [ 3 ].…”

“…This situation is caused by many factors but is particularly related to the theoretical and methodological issues of earlier study designs [ 27 ]. However, this unique subpopulation of trans persons seems to be especially prone to stigmatization [ 2 ], poor self-rated health [ 28 ], and high rates of affective disorders [ 29 ].…”

Der Substanzkonsum von trans* Personen aus der Minoritätenstressperspektive

“…Studien aus den USA identifizierten ebenfalls hohe Prävalenzen für Depressivität (44,1-51,4 %), Angststörungen (33,2-47,5 %) und Suizidversuche (32-41 %) [1,4,11,27]. Pauschal genommen berichten insbesondere nicht-binäre und junge trans* Personen von einer hohen psychischen Belastung [4,26,28].…”

“…Über den Zusammenhang zwischen proximalen Stressfaktoren und Substanzkonsum ist aktuell wenig bekannt. Es gibt Anzeichen, dass negative Erwartungen vor zukünftiger Viktimisierung mit erhöhtem Substanzkonsum von trans* Personen einhergehen [28].…”