Citation

Jackman KB, Dolezal C, Levin B, Honig JC, Bockting WO. Psychiatry Res. 2018; 269: 602-609.

Affiliation

School of Nursing, Columbia University, 630 West 168th St., Mail Code 6, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute/Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.092

PMID

30208349

Abstract

We investigated rates of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and correlates of past-year NSSI among transgender people to better understand factors contributing to this health disparity. A community-based sample of 332 transgender people participated in quantitative in-person interviews. The mean age of participants was 34.56 years (SD = 13.78, range = 16-87). The sample was evenly divided between transfeminine spectrum (50.3%) and transmasculine spectrum identities (49.7%) and was diverse in race/ethnicity. We evaluated associations between sociodemographic characteristics, stigma, hypothesized resilience factors, and identity variables with past-year NSSI. 53.3% of participants reported ever having self-injured in their lifetime. Past-year NSSI was reported by 22.3% of the sample and did not significantly differ based on gender identity. In logistic regression models, past-year NSSI was associated with younger age and felt stigma (perceived or anticipated rejection), but not enacted stigma (actual experiences of discrimination), and with gender dysphoria. Efforts to address the high rates of NSSI among transgender people should aim to reduce felt stigma and gender dysphoria, and promote transgender congruence. Future research using a developmental approach to assess variations in NSSI across the life course and in relation to transgender identity development may illuminate additional processes that affect NSSI in this population.

Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Language: en

Keywords

Felt stigma; Gender dysphoria; Identity development; Minority stress