Victimization and depressive symptomology in transgender adults: The mediating role of avoidant coping.

Abstract

Victimization and depressive distress symptoms represent serious and interconnected public health problems facing transgender communities. Avoidant coping is hypothesized to temporarily alleviate the stress of victimization, but has potential long-term mental and behavioral health costs, such as increasing the probability of depressive symptoms. A community sample of 412 transgender adults (M age = 32.7, SD = 12.8) completed a one-time survey capturing multiple forms of victimization (i.e., everyday discrimination, bullying, physical assault by family, verbal harassment by family, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence), avoidant coping, and past-week depressive symptomology. Structural equation modeling examined the mediating role of avoidant coping in the association between victimization and depressive symptomology. A latent victimization variable composed of six measures of victimization was positively associated with avoidant coping, which in turn was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Victimization was also positively associated with depressive symptomology both directly and indirectly through avoidant coping. Avoidant coping represents a potentially useful intervention target for clinicians aiming to reduce the mental health sequelae of victimization in this highly stigmatized and vulnerable population.

The Influence of Minority Stress on Level of Depression among Thai LGBT Adults

“…We found that depression in our participants was significantly predicted by using less problem-focusing and seeking less social support as coping methods and high reliance on avoidance coping. The findings were in line with the same patterns found in recent studies that examined the influence of coping strategies on depression outcomes among LGBT populations in the United States (Toomey, Ryan, Diaz, & Russell, 2018;White Hughto, Pachankis, Willie, & Reisner, 2017). Chronic disease was the last non-minority stress factor associated with depression in LGBT participants.…”

Coping with discrimination: The insidious effects of gender minority stigma on depression and anxiety in transgender individuals

“…For instance, a study examining anxiety and depression symptoms among TGD individuals found no significant associations with facilitative coping, but avoidant coping strategies were a mediator of the association between TGD identity development and overall distress (Budge et al, ). White Hughto, Pachankis, Willie, and Reisner () also examined avoidant coping and found this type of coping mediated the association between victimization (conceptualized as discrimination, violence, and assault) and depressive symptoms among TGD individuals. Support for the role of approach‐oriented coping strategies is more limited.…”

Non-binary and binary transgender youth: Comparison of mental health, self-harm, suicidality, substance use and victimization experiences

“…Minority stress theory suggests that victimisation experiences may contribute to the elevated rates of mental health problems in transgender individuals (Hendricks & Testa, 2012), although the limited evidence from cross-sectional studies is conflicted regarding an association between transphobic victimisation and mental health symptoms (e.g. Bouman, Davey, Meyer, Witcomb, & Arcelus, 2016;White Hughto, Pachankis, Willie, & Reisner, 2017).…”