Minority joy and minority stress in transgender people: An intervention study measuring health factors longitudinally.

Transgender and gender non-conforming people (TGNC) have a higher risk for physical and psychiatric ill health, which has been explained to be caused by minority stress. Minority stress is the elevated risk of being exposed to discrimination and assault that minorities experience. It is also experienced by worry of being exposed, and by internalised transphobia.

Minority stress is also experienced in healthcare encounters. Therefore, TGNC specific knowledge is needed in general health care. Health outcomes are also influenced by protective factors, but these have been studied to a lesser extent.

No study has explored eventual positive experiences TGNC people may have due to their identity, i.e. “minority joy”.

The aim of this project is to exploratively investigate TGNC people’s experiences of minority joy, and to get a better understanding of their experiences of minority joy and minority stress over time.

Further, the project explores how these experiences covary with psychiatric and physical ill health and quality of life before, during and after a TGNC affirmative intervention in adult and adolescent participants over 15-years of age. The intervention consists of three parts, given in randomized order: 1.

Psychoeducation about external minority stress, 2. Cognitive interventions targeting worry, and 3. Self-compassion aiming to relieve internalised transphobia.

This project uses a mixed methods data collection consisting of interviews as well as a replicated single case design (SCED). More detailed pre- and post measurements will also be collected.

The interviews enable us to explore minority joy in detail, as well as getting feedback about the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention.

The SCED enables us to visualize the interplay between everyday experiences and health, while testing the affirmative program. The project will provide much needed knowledge, which in turn will improve health in TGNC people.