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Violence and Mental Health in the Transgender Community

Wilson, Milo S.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1385412105

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences).
Transgender individuals experience high rates of violence and minority stress. However, research examining violence, the psychological functioning associated with experiences of violence, and minority stress in the transgender community has been minimal. The objectives of this study were to provide a more nuanced characterization of transgender individuals' experiences of violence and psychological functioning in relation to those of cisgender individuals, and to understand transgender psychological functioning in the context of distal minority stress (violence) and proximal minority stress (stigma, identity concealment, and internalized transphobia). Participants included 342 (46%) transgender and 401 (54%) cisgender individuals who were 18 years of age or older. Participants completed self-report measures assessing demographic characteristics, violence (verbal, physical, and sexual), perceived gender identity-related stigma, identity concealment, and internalized transphobia, as well as depression, anxiety, PTSD symptomology, stress, self-harming thoughts and behaviors, alcohol use, and drug use. Results revealed that transgender and cisgender participants experienced similar prevalence rates and chronicity of violence across verbal, physical, and sexual violence. Transgender participants had higher scores across all symptom and self-harm measures. However, after controlling for significant covariates, gender did not have a significant effect on these outcome measures. Rather, sexual orientation and income emerged as 4 robust correlates of psychological functioning. Cisgender participants reported higher levels of alcohol use and there were no differences in drug use between the two groups. When examining only transgender victims of violence, transgender participants with poorer psychological functioning more often identified as a sexual minority, had more chronic experiences of verbal and physical violence, and had more internalized identity negativity. Implications for research, policy, and clinical practice will be discussed.
Christine Gidycz (Committee Chair)
Psychology
Transgender; gender non-conforming; LGBT; violence; minority stress model; psychological functioning; mental health

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wilson, M. S. (2013). Violence and Mental Health in the Transgender Community [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1385412105

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wilson, Milo. Violence and Mental Health in the Transgender Community. 2013. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1385412105.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wilson, Milo. "Violence and Mental Health in the Transgender Community." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1385412105

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1385412105
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© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.