Understanding How Minority Stress, Gender Identity, and Resilience Predict Psychological Distress among Asexual Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Individuals

Abstract

The presence of minority stress has been well documented among members of the transgender and gender non-conforming community, as has the effect of resilience on buffering the impact of minority stress on their psychological distress. Little attention has been given to transgender and gender non-conforming people who identify as asexual. This study examined the relationships among minority stressors, resilience, and psychological distress among individuals holding the intersecting identities of transgender and gender non-conforming and asexual. Data were collected from 300 adults using various listservs and social media platforms. Significant differences in harassment & discrimination χ²(2) = 7.27, p = .026 were reported by individuals holding an intersecting asexual and transgender and gender non-conforming identity. Post hoc analysis using Kruskal-Wallis tests did not reveal any significant differences. Therefore, while there may be a significant difference in harassment & discrimination, it is unclear where that difference lies. Multiple regression results revealed that vigilance and gender expression minority stress were significant positive predictors of psychological distress, F(11, 258) = 10.21, p < .001, f² = .43; the overall model accounted for approximately 30% (R² = .30) of the total variance in psychological distress. Resilience was a significant negative predictor of psychological distress but did not moderate the relationship between minority stress, gender identity, and psychological distress. Implications for practice and research are discussed.