Transgender parents and their children are virtually invisible in the current literature. Little is known about child outcomes for children of transgender parents or about how transgender families negotiate the transition and subsequent stressors. The current study addressed this gap in the literature by using an adapted version of the ABC-X model and Family Stress Theory to determine if there were differences between transgender parents and their adult children in stressor pileup (A) (impact of disclosure, experience of stigma, and boundary ambiguity), resources (B) (social support and coping), perceptions of the event (C) (perceptions of PGT and sense of coherence), and overall family functioning (X). The present study also drew on past research with transgender individuals, lesbian and gay parents, and research on ambiguous loss to create a model of adaptation to parental gender transition. In addition to examining differences between transgender parents and their adult children on the variables of interest, this study had two main purposes: first, to examine how transgender parents who transitioned after they had children adapted to the stresses associated with PGT based on resources available to them and the perceptions of their transition and second, to investigate how adults who were children when their parents transitioned adapted to the stresses associated with PGT based on the resources available to them and their perceptions of PGT. Specifically, the level of stressor pileup, social support, coping, perception of PGT, and individual sense of coherence on family functioning were examined for each group. The sample was comprised of two groups of participants--transgender parents and adult children with transgender parents. There were 73 parents and 15 adult children from the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia. The sample was recruited through the use of a purposive sampling strategy designed to reach the target population through LGBT community centers, transgender listservs, LGBT listservs, transgender support groups, transgender organizations, other researchers and professionals working with the target population, and personal contacts. The author sent a recruitment letter and a link to the online survey to potential research participants and those who could send the information along to other potential participants through snowball sampling methods. The recruitment letter provided an explanation of the study, complete contact information for the researcher and the major professor, and a link to the website to complete the survey. Participants received a link that directed them to the appropriate survey (i.e. parent or child). Participants then read the online IRB approved consent form and indicated consent by moving forward with the survey. The survey consisted of demographic questions items that were taken from eight instruments used to measure the variables of interest in the study and the social desirability measure. The survey also included one open-ended question at the end to provide additional qualitative insights. The variables of interest in this study were measured with the following instruments. The Impact of Events Scale was used to assess the impact of disclosure. Stigma was measured using an adapted version of The Stigma Scale. An adapted version of the Boundary Ambiguity for Widows Scale was used to measure boundary ambiguity. Social support was measured using the MOS Social Support Survey. The Cybernetic Coping Scale was used to assess coping strategies. Perception of transition was measured using a scale created for this study. Sense of coherence was measured using the comprehensibility and manageability subscales Sense of Coherence Scale. Finally, family functioning was assessed the Family Adaptation Scale. Independent samples t-test were conducted to determine if differences existed between transgender parents and their adult children on levels of stressor pileup--indicated by the impact of disclosure (A1), stigma (A2), and boundary ambiguity (A3)--social support (B1), coping (B2), perceptions of PGT (C1), sense of coherence (C2), or family functioning (X). Results indicated that adult children had significantly more negative perceptions of PGT than did their parents. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to answer the question, can stressor pileup (A)--indicated by the impact of disclosure (A1), stigma (A2), and boundary ambiguity (A3)--social support (B1), coping (B2), perception of PGT (C1), and sense of coherence (C2) be integrated to predict family functioning (X) for transgender parents? The findings showed that stigma and boundary ambiguity were significant predictors of family functioning, but that the relationship between stigma and family functioning became non-significant with the addition of perception and sense of coherence in the model. Further, when accounting for all variables in the model, only boundary ambiguity and sense of coherence were significant predictors of family functioning. Results of this study suggested that perception is unique to each family member based on their own experiences and developmental context. Further, findings indicated that transgender parents may view transition as something they chose that is within their control; whereas children may view transition as something that they did not choose and that it was outside of their control, leading to more negative perceptions of transition for children. Additionally, results of this study supported the idea that internal stressors are more difficult to cope with than those coming from outside the family system, as evidenced by the ameliorating effect of sense of coherence on the relationship between stigma and family functioning, but not between boundary ambiguity and family functioning. Several implications for theory, research, and practice have been noted. The results of this study underscored the value of examining the extent to which resources were available versus accessed and the impact of perceptions on the accessing of resources. Issues of sampling and measurement were critical. While the sample size was smaller than desired, it is larger than any of the other three studies done on this topic. It is also important to attend to other noteworthy factors, such as divorce and ambivalence, not measured in the current study. With regard to practice, the importance of understanding varying perceptions of parents and children, combating boundary ambiguity, and improving sense of coherence were highlighted. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2012. / June 22, 2012. / family functioning, resilience, stress, transgender / Includes bibliographical references. / Carol A. Darling, Professor Directing Dissertation; Anne Barrett, University Representative; Marsha Rehm, Committee Member; Ron Mullis, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_183168 |
| Contributors | Veldorale-Brogan, Amanda, 1986- (authoraut), Darling, Carol A. (professor directing dissertation), Barrett, Anne (university representative), Rehm, Marsha (committee member), Mullis, Ron (committee member), Department of Family and Child Sciences (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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