“…Use of small, homogenous samples is a feature of IPA to allow for a fine-grained analysis of complex psychological phenomena, particularly in areas that have been subject to limited research and would benefit from an exploratory, hypothesis-generating approach (Smith & Osborn, 2008). The sample size of this study is similar to other studies using IPA methodology (e.g., Cunningham, Timms, Holloway, & Radford, 2011; Wood, Cupitt, & Lavender, 2015). Further, TTM predominantly affects women and other studies have similarly used female-only samples to explore its phenomenology, trajectory and impact (e.g., Flessner et al, 2009); however, it is possible that men with TTM espouse different beliefs.…”