Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite a growing body of research on transgender mental health, the role of resilience in shaping psychological outcomes associated with gender dysphoria remains underexplored. This study sought to examine the prevalence of gender dysphoria and levels of psychological distress among Vietnamese transgender individuals, and investigate the associations between these variables, with particular attention to the potential moderating role of resilience. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: A sample of 347 Vietnamese transgender individuals aged 16 to 44 (M (age) = 23.87, SD (age) = 5.1; 53.0% assigned female at birth) completed an anonymous online questionnaire. Gender dysphoria, psychological distress, and resilience were assessed using the Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale - Gender Spectrum (UGDS-GS), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), respectively. RESULTS: The mean scores for gender dysphoria and psychological distress were 64.96 and 25.50, respectively. Lower gender dysphoria was reported among younger, nonbinary, bisexual individuals and participants with no intention for gender-affirming interventions, lower income, non-disclosure, or no involvement in transgender support groups. Higher psychological distress was found in those who planned to undergo gender-affirming interventions and who had not come out. Gender dysphoria was positively correlated with psychological distress, but this relationship was attenuated among individuals with higher resilience. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore significant mental health challenges among transgender individuals in Vietnam. The moderating role of resilience suggests that enhancing resilience may buffer the negative impact of gender dysphoria on psychological well-being. Interventions promoting resilience might therefore represent a valuable approach to supporting transgender mental health.