Psychological distress is a major health concern for transgender persons going through the transition process. The purpose of this secondary data analysis of the United States Transgender Survey (USTS) compiled by the National Center for Transgender Equality was to explore the relationship between the three stages of transition (social, legal, medical) and levels of psychological distress. While much of the current social work research focuses on risk factors related to psychological distress, particularly around discrimination, this study explores how each stage of transition can serve as a protective factor to increase overall well-being. Independent sample t-tests, ANOVA, and regressions were completed to determine if social, legal, and/or medical transition had a significant effect on psychological distress. Findings indicated that improving access to services supporting transition can reduce psychological distress. Implications for social work education and practice are provided.
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Luquet et al. (2025) studied this question.
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