(PS8-66) Resilience as a Moderating Factor in the Relationship Between Minority Stress and Alcohol Use Among Transgender and Gender-diverse Adults

Minority stress among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adults is associated with elevated risk for alcohol use (Lindley et al., 2021). Previous research indicates that TGD adults are more likely to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder compared to cisgender adults (Connolly & Gilchrist, 2020; Gilbert et al., 2018; Hughto et al., 2021). An adaptation of the minority stress model (Meyer, 2003) posits that TGD people experience unique stressors that increase their risk for adverse health outcomes (e.g., gender-related violence; Hendricks & Testa, 2012). Furthermore, minority stressors impact alcohol use outcomes, such that TGD people use alcohol to cope with negative experiences associated with minority stress (Gonzalez et al., 2017; Klein & Golub, 2016). There is a call for research that identifies protective factors that may buffer the negative outcomes of minority stress among TGD people (Breslow et al., 2015; Testa et al., 2014). Resilience is hypothesized to moderate the association between minority stressors and deleterious health outcomes (Hendricks & Testa, 2012; Meyer, 2003), such that higher levels of resilience may buffer the effects of minority stress on alcohol use. However, there has been little empirical investigation on whether resilience buffers the effects of minority stress on alcohol use among TGD people. Thus, the current study explored the association between minority stressors and alcohol use and examined whether resilience moderated this association among TGD adults.  

TGD people in a current intimate relationship (N=137; age 18-58) who reported drinking in the past month completed a baseline assessment as part of a larger study. Participants self-identified as TGD (67.9% non-binary, 55.5% transgender, 24.1% man/male, 14.6% woman/female, 5.8% agender; participants could endorse multiple gender identities). The baseline assessment included measures of minority stress (Gender Minority Stress Resilience; Testa et al., 2015), resilience (Brief Resilience Scale; Smith et al., 2008), and alcohol use/problems (The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test; Babor et al., 2001).  

Analyses demonstrated that there was a significant and positive association between gender-related rejection and alcohol use [r(137) = .197, p=0.021]. In addition, there was a significant and positive association between gender-related victimization and alcohol use [r(137) = .220, p=0.010]. However, resilience did not moderate the relationship between any minority stress factors and alcohol use.  

Consistent with previous findings, results suggest that minority stress is a risk factor for alcohol use among TGD adults. Additional research is needed to identify protective factors for TGD people experiencing gender-related minority stress. Future intervention with TGD adults should focus efforts on targeting minority stress as a risk factor for alcohol use.