Rural Living Environment Predicts Social Anxiety in Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Individuals across Canada and the United States

This study examined the relationship of living environment (urban vs. suburban vs. small-town/rural) to social anxiety (SA) in a sample of 902 TGNC individuals who participated in the Trans Health Survey. Analysis of variance revealed a significant difference in SA across living environments. Those living in small-town/rural environments reported significantly higher levels of SA compared to those living in urban environments. There was a trend-level difference in SA in suburban compared to urban environments. Linear regression analyses revealed that living environment significantly moderated the relationship between social support and SA. Higher social support was more protective against elevated SA in urban and suburban than in small-town/rural environments. This study is the first to demonstrate the experience of elevated SA among TGNC individuals living in rural environments. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.
Source: Journal of Anxiety Disorders - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research