Project Summary/Abstract
We will conduct innovative, mixed-methods life course research on interpersonal victimization, protective
processes, and mental health and substance use among young transgender women. Young transgender women
experience disproportionately high rates of interpersonal victimization, including child abuse, intimate partner
violence and sexual assault, as well as transgender-related community violence. Although evidence indicates
that cumulative victimization increases the likelihood of poor mental health in cisgender women, these patterns
are under-explored with young transgender women. The proposed study will address these gaps by conducting
a two-phase mixed-methods study with young transgender women in Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI. In Phase
I, we will use the life history calendar (LHC), an innovative methodology for collecting life course data, to examine
comprehensive experiences of interpersonal victimization in a sample of N=120 trans women aged 18-35. The
LHC uses a large grid and landmark events to cue retrieval of events from memory. These events can then be
quantitatively identified to determine the number, timing, and forms of victimization. Participants will also
complete a brief survey assessing mental health outcomes and help-seeking and protective processes. In Phase
II, we will conduct in-depth interviews with a subsample of n=30 trans women purposively selected from Phase
I to deepen understanding of novel protective processes and help seeking barriers/facilitators. The specific aims
are to: 1) Identify trajectories of interpersonal victimization, help-seeking, protective processes, transition-related
milestones, and mental health outcomes across the life course in a sample of N=120 young trans women ages
18-35 in Chicago and Milwaukee. We will use the LHC to structure interviews to quantitatively capture life events,
e.g., interpersonal victimization, help-seeking, protective processes, mental health outcomes, including suicide
attempts and substance use, and transition-related milestones. Multilevel and mixture modeling will be used to
identify trajectories of these life events across time; 2) Identify how different trajectories of interpersonal
victimization influence current mental health outcomes, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation,
and substance use, and examine how protective processes (e.g., social support, self-esteem, and community
resilience) moderate the effects of violence on mental health outcomes. Using LHC and survey data, we will use
growth mixture modeling to examine direct and moderated relationships over the life course; and 3) Explore
patterns of formal and informal help-seeking behaviors, barriers to seeking help, mental health care needs, and
protective processes through qualitative life history interviews with n=30 young trans women. Women with
different trajectories of interpersonal violence will be purposively sampled and interviewed to obtain nuanced
and in-depth data on novel protective processes among trans women.
