Eudaimonic Well-Being in Transsexual People, Before and After Gender Confirming Surgery

Antonio Prunas (), Alessandra D. Fisher, Elisa Bandini, Mario Maggi, Valeria Pace, Orlando Todarello, Chiara De Bella and Maurizio Bini
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Antonio Prunas: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
Alessandra D. Fisher: Careggi University Hospital
Elisa Bandini: Careggi University Hospital
Mario Maggi: Careggi University Hospital
Valeria Pace: University of Bari
Orlando Todarello: University of Bari
Chiara De Bella: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
Maurizio Bini: Ospedale Niguarda-Ca’ Granda

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2017, vol. 18, issue 5, No 3, 1305-1317

Abstract: Abstract Gender confirming surgery (GCS) and cross-sex hormones (CSH) are crucial steps in the self-realization of a transsexual individual. However, no study has analyzed the outcome of GCS in a eudaimonic perspective, nor explored eudaimonic well-being before GCS. The study compares the eudaimonic well-being of trans men (N = 56) and women (N = 89) before and after GCS; in the MtF sample, a further comparison was carried out between those who never started any medical intervention and those who were already taking CSH. Finally, the impact of experiences of harassment, discrimination and violence on eudaimonic well-being in the post-surgery sample was explored. All participants completed the Psychological Well-being Scales (Ryff in J Pers Soc Psychol 57:1069–1081, 1989) and, only the post-surgery sample, a questionnaire to assess previous experiences of harassment, discrimination and violence. Both in MtF and FtM participants, those who already received GCS showed higher scores on self-acceptance; in the MtF sample, higher scores were also found on environmental mastery and lower scores on personal growth. The association between experiences of discrimination on well-being was limited and positive, with higher scores in personal growth only in FtM participants who reported being victims of such experiences. Our results suggest that both MtF and FtM transsexuals show higher levels of eudaimonic well-being after GCS.

Keywords: Transsexualism; Eudaimonic well-being; Gender confirming surgery; Gender transition; Transphobic violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-016-9780-7

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