Social Support as a Buffer of the Association between Sexual Assault and Trauma Symptoms Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

Abstract

The prevalence of experiencing sexual assault is alarmingly high among Transgender and Gender Diverse people (TGD; people whose gender identities and/or expressions are not traditionally associated with their sex assigned at birth) and is associated with various mental health sequalae. Perceived social support has been shown to abate the negative outcomes of sexual assault among cisgender individuals, yet little is known about this association among TGD people, especially which provider of support (i.e., family, friends, or significant others) may be most beneficial. To that end, 191 TGD adults were recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to examine perceived social support as a potential moderator of the association between sexual assault victimization and post-sexual assault trauma symptomology. Results showed an interaction trending toward significance between sexual assault and support from a significant other. Decomposition of this interaction demonstrated that sexual assault was associated with post-assault trauma symptoms when support from a significant other was low (ß = .25, p < .05) but not high (ß = .10, p = .089). The interaction between sexual assault and perceived social support was not significant for perceived support from friends ( p = .133) or family ( p = .954). Findings highlight the need for additional research on perceived social support as a potential buffering mechanism between sexual assault and post-assault symptomology in TGD people.

Sexual assault disclosure and outcomes in the LGB+ community.

“…Despite alarmingly high rates of trauma exposure and sexual violence perpetrated against the transgender and gender-diverse community (Coulter et al, 2017; Shipherd et al, 2011), very little sexual assault research has focused on this population, and even less has focused on disclosure tendencies (Edwards et al, 2022; Grocott et al, 2023; Hackman et al, 2022; Langenderfer-Magruder et al, 2016). Given constraints in the way participants reported their gender and the lack of information about sex assigned at birth, we were not able to accurately categorize cisgender and transgender participants, so it is unclear what proportion of our sample identified as transgender or gender diverse.…”

The role of complex posttraumatic stress disorder in the associations between minority stressors and self-reported suicide likelihood in LGBTQ+ adults.

“…The greater impact of gender expression related harassment, a stressor predominantly present in TGD individuals, can be explained by the greater exposure to prolonged discrimination that TGD individuals experience (Bauerband et al, 2019). Additionally, isolation as a consequence of minority sexual orientation and gender identity may be linked to social support (lack thereof), increasing the impact of trauma on mental health and subsequent suicide risk (Grocott et al, 2023). Although no indirect effect was found, rejection by the family of origin appears to have a direct effect on the likelihood of suicide intent.…”

Kinky Sex and Deliberate Partner Negotiations: Case Studies of Canadian Transgender Men Who Have Sex with Men, Their HIV Risks, Safer Sex Practices, and Prevention Needs

“…In the case of TMSM, this reliance on and great appreciation of social engagement, social support, and accessible community resources were distinctly exemplified by the experiences and sentiments described in all three case studies. Several research studies have emphasized the benefits gained by MSM and trans individuals from having perceived social support from LGBTQIA+ friends [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 ], and strong connections with gender-affirming communities and sexual health care [ 46 , 47 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 65 ], especially those that prioritize the elimination of cisgenderism and transphobia [ 70 ]. They have also emphasized the need for such HIV services and programs to create sustainable opportunities to increase the financial security of TMSM, as well as develop more opportunities for TMSM to receive gender affirmation and social support from accessible community resources.…”