Supervisors info:
Ιωάννης Ζέρβας, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Φλώρα Μπακοπούλου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Χριστίνα Κανακά-Gantenbein, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Background: Despite societal progress, individuals with gender dysphoria face multiple chronic stressors, including social stigma and prejudice. To further explore the impact of chronic stress on individuals with gender dysphoria, the aim of this study was to evaluate allostatic load and assess psychological characteristics compared to cisgender counterparts.
Materials and methods: 21 individuals with gender dysphoria (study group) and 21 cisgender individuals (control group) participated in this observational study of cross-sectional design. Both groups completed a battery of self-reported measures regarding perceived stress, depressive symptomatology, anxiety, and quality of life.
Results: Allostatic load of gender dysphoric individuals was higher in a statistically significant fashion compared to their cisgender counterparts (U = 62.00 and p = .000). Between-group comparisons also revealed a statistically significant difference in perceived stress (U = 26.00 and p = .000), anxiety-state and anxiety-trait (U = 82.00 and p = .000, U = 35, 00 and p = .000, respectively), in depressive symptomatology (U = 117.50 and p = .000) and in all dimensions of quality of life (physical health U = 75.50 and p = .000, mental health U = 30.50 and p = .000, social relations U = 0.00 and p = .000), except environmental conditions (U = 26.00, p = 0.561). Linear regression showed that gender identity predicted 40,5% of the total variance of the allostatic load.
Conclusions: To the authors’ knowledge, the present study is the first one attempting to compare allostatic load of individuals with gender dysphoria and cisgender individuals. Cohort studies with larger samples are necessary to further investigate the topic, and potentially increase our insight regarding the health challenges gender dysphoric individuals face.
