Gender minority stress, mental health, and relationship quality: A dyadic investigation of transgender women and their cisgender male partners.

Abstract

Research has demonstrated associations between experiences of discrimination, relationship quality, and mental health. However, critical questions remain unanswered with regard to how stigma enacted and experienced at the dyadic-level influences relationship quality and mental health for transgender women and their cisgender (non-transgender) male partners. The present study sought to examine how experiences of transgender-related discrimination (i.e., unfair treatment, harassment) and relationship stigma (i.e., the real or anticipated fear of rejection based on one’s romantic affiliation), were associated with both partners relationship quality and mental health. Couples (N=191) were recruited to participate in cross-sectional survey. Actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were fit to examine the influence of minority stressors on clinically significant depressive distress and relationship quality. For both partners, financial hardship, discrimination, and relationship stigma were associated with an increased odds of depressive distress. For both partners, financial hardship was associated with lower relationship quality. Among transgender women, their own and their partner’s higher relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality; however, among male partners, only their partner’s greater relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality. Findings provide preliminary support for dyadic crossover effects of relationship stigma on the health of partners. Findings illustrate the importance of minority stress and dyadic stress frameworks in understanding and intervening upon mental health disparities among transgender women and their male partners. Couples-based interventions and treatment approaches to help transgender women and their male partners cope with minority stressors are warranted to improve the health and well-being of both partners.

The Role of Gender Affirmation in Psychological Well-Being Among Transgender Women

“…This confluence and intersection of oppressions, i.e., transmisogyny, potentially exacerbates mental health risk for transgender women. Indeed, surveys of diverse community samples of transgender women have documented associations between discrimination, depressive symptoms, selfesteem, and suicidal ideation (Bauer, Scheim, Pyne, Travers, & Hammond, 2015;Bockting et al, 2013;Gamarel, Reisner, Laurenceau, Nemoto, & Operario, 2014;Nemoto, Bödeker, & Iwamoto, 2011;Reisner et al, 2015). Some research has suggested that experiences of discrimination among transgender women may lead to greater HIV-risk behaviors (e.g.…”

A cross-sectional study of associations between casual partner, friend discrimination, social support and anxiety symptoms among Chinese transgender women

“…These are associated with high HIV acquisition rates (Brennan et al, 2012), further contributing to anxiety problems. Previous literatures have demonstrated that sexual partnerships are related to distress (Gamarel et al, 2014a(Gamarel et al, , 2014b. Specifically, having a casual partner is shown to be a predictor of distress (Yang et al, 2015).…”

Couple Relationships of Transgender Individuals and their Partners: A 2017 Update

“…A study of 17 couples from five different states who began as a "heterosexual" couple, now comprised of a transwoman and her cisgender female partner, interviewed the partners separately and found themes related to gender expression and identity re-formation to involve various phases, re-gendering as women, and the impact of visual congruence as individuals and as a couple (Alegria & Ballard-Reisch, 2013). Other coupleoriented studies have focused on role negotiations (Casani, 2013), substance abuse , intimate partner violence (Cook-Daniels, 2015), and the interaction among transgender discrimination stigma, relationship quality, and mental health (Gamarel, Reisner, Laurenceau, Nemoto, & Operario, 2014).…”