ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Emotional Distress, Bullying Victimization, and Protective Factors Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents in City, Suburban, Town, and Rural Locations
Marla E. Eisenberg ScD, MPH,
Amy L. Gower PhD,
Barbara J. McMorris PhD,
G. Nicole Rider PhD,
Eli Coleman PhD,
Corresponding Author
Marla E. Eisenberg ScD, MPH
Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
For further information, contact: Marla Eisenberg, ScD, MPH, 717 Delaware Street SE, 3rd Floor, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414; e-mail: [email protected].Search for more papers by this authorAmy L. Gower PhD
Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorBarbara J. McMorris PhD
School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorG. Nicole Rider PhD
Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorEli Coleman PhD
Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorMarla E. Eisenberg ScD, MPH,
Amy L. Gower PhD,
Barbara J. McMorris PhD,
G. Nicole Rider PhD,
Eli Coleman PhD,
Corresponding Author
Marla E. Eisenberg ScD, MPH
Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
For further information, contact: Marla Eisenberg, ScD, MPH, 717 Delaware Street SE, 3rd Floor, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414; e-mail: [email protected].Search for more papers by this authorAmy L. Gower PhD
Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorBarbara J. McMorris PhD
School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorG. Nicole Rider PhD
Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorEli Coleman PhD
Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Search for more papers by this authorDisclosures: The authors report no conflicts of interest.
Funding: Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R21HD088757. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The funder had no additional role in this research, development of the manuscript, or decision to submit for publication.
Acknowledgment: Minnesota Student Survey data were provided by public school students in Minnesota via local public school districts and are managed by the Minnesota Student Survey Interagency Team.
Abstract
Purpose
Understanding the root causes of the substantial disparities in risk and protective factors among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adolescents is essential to the development and expansion of resources and supports for this vulnerable population. This study examines differences in emotional distress, bullying victimization, and protective factors among TGD high school students in city, suburban, town, and rural locations.
Methods
Data come from a statewide school-based survey conducted in Minnesota in 2016 (n = 2,168 TGD youth). Analysis of covariance models were used to predict the prevalence of multiple indicators of emotional distress, bullying victimization, and protective factors across the 4 location categories, with multiple adjustments.
Findings
Significant linear trends were observed for 2 emotional distress outcomes and 2 bullying victimization outcomes, with urban TGD students having the lowest rates and rural having the highest prevalences. Additional significant differences in emotional distress were noted, with unexpectedly high rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among suburban students.
Conclusions
Helping TGD adolescents in all types of locations identify resources and supportive professionals is critical to supporting this population.
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