Psychological Distress and Resilience Among Transgenders

In today's 24/7 society, where even a layman strives harder to cope with the difficulties of everyday life, it can be more demanding for the underprivileged sections of society. Transgenders being a sexual minority in India are ridiculed and discriminated at every aspect of societal life due to gender variant behavior and roles. Transgender persons are at high risk for developing psychological distress and mental health issues such as depression, substance abuse, suicidal tendencies, and conduct disorders. Little research is known in Kerala about transgender individuals' capacity for resilience despite hardship and long-term stress. The objectives of the current study were to assess psychological distress and resilience among transgenders and to find out whether there is any significant difference in resilience among transgenders based on socio-demographic variables such as age, education, and employment. The data was obtained using the survey method (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale by Kessler, 2003; & Resilience Scale by Wagnild & Young, 2009) involving a purposive sample of 105 transgenders from various districts of Kerala. ANOVA and t-test were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study showed that transgenders have an average level of psychological distress and resilience. There is no significant difference in psychological distress and resilience among transgenders based on employment and level of education. There is no significant difference in psychological distress whereas there is a significant difference in resilience based on the age group among transgenders. The younger adults showed higher resilience. Transgenders can be helped by the development of tailored mental health interventions and resilience-building programs.