The Associations Between Gender Minority Stressors and PTSD Symptom Severity Among Trauma-Exposed Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults

ABSTRACT

This study investigates associations between minority stressors, traumatic stressors, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity in a sample of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adults. We utilized surveys and clinical interview assessments to assess gender minority stress exposures and responses, and PTSD. Our sample (N = 43) includes adults who identified as a minoritized gender identity (i.e., 39.5% trans woman or woman, 25.6% trans man or man, 23.3% genderqueer or nonbinary, 11.6% other identity). All participants reported at least one traumatic event (i.e., life threat, serious injury, or sexual harm). The most common trauma events reported by the sample were sexual (39.5%) and physical violence (37.2%), with 40.9% of participants anchoring their symptoms to a discrimination-based event. PTSD symptom severity was positively correlated with both distal (r = 0.36, p = .017) and proximal minority stressors (r = 0.40, p < .01). Distal minority stress was a unique predictor of current PTSD symptom severity (b = 0.94, p = .017), however, this association was no longer significant when adjusting for proximal minority stress (b = 0.18, p = 0.046). This study suggests that minority stress, especially proximal minority stress, is associated with higher PTSD symptom severity among TGD adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• trauma
• transgender
• gender diverse
• minority stress
• discrimination

Acknowledgments

The research study was funded by a Gennaro Acampora Junior Investigator Pilot Award (PI: Dr. Valentine). Dr. Valentine’s time was also supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH117221). The views, opinions, and content of this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government. The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research study was funded by a Gennaro Acampora Junior Investigator Pilot Award through the Boston Medical Center Department of Psychiatry (PI: Dr. Valentine). Dr. Valentine’s time was also supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH117221).