Citation

Parr NJ, Howe BG. Psychol. Sex. Orientat. Gend. Divers. 2019; 6(4): 461-474.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/sgd0000347

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Transgender individuals experience disproportionate rates of depression, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt. Prior work has linked these outcomes to experiencing social stigma and gender-related victimization and discrimination, but an important need has been to quantitatively assess the relation of less overt forms of victimization, such as gender identity-related microaggressions, with occurrence of these outcomes among transgender persons. In the present research, a focus group and survey study were conducted to more fully characterize transgender identity nonaffirmation microaggressions. We investigated how nonaffirmation microaggressions vary in frequency, self-rated emotional intensity, and in the social and emotional responses they elicit, as well as the relation of nonaffirmation microaggressions with the occurrence of depression symptoms and suicidality among transgender individuals. A total of 402 participants completed an online survey questionnaire, responding to 14 situational prompts based on nonaffirmation microaggressions commonly reported in focus groups. In conventional logistic regression analyses, increasing frequency of transgender identity nonaffirmation or denial events was significantly associated with 150-240% increases (odds ratio = 2.54-3.41) in odds of past-year sadness or hopelessness, past-year withdrawal from regular activities, past-year suicide ideation, and lifetime suicide ideation or attempt among transgender respondents (n = 182). Using latent regression analyses that incorporated both frequency and emotional intensity of microaggression events, odds of outcomes were increased by 230-525% (odds ratio = 3.31-6.25). Increasing the number of nonaffirmation microaggressions that produced feelings of weariness or apathy, and nonaffirmation microaggressions that led to decreased interest in social engagement, was also significantly associated with increased odds of past-year depression symptomatology and suicide ideation. © 2019 American Psychological Association.

Language: en

Keywords

Depression; Suicide; Transgender; Minority stress; Microaggressions