Rumination & eating psychopathology among trans and nonbinary individuals: A path analysis integrating minority stress

Abstract

Ruminative thought patterns, defined as repetitive negative self-focused attention, are considered an avoidant coping strategy for managing stress. As trans and nonbinary (TNB) individuals commonly experience prejudice and discrimination in response to their gender identities (i.e. minority stressors), rumination over these stressors may contribute to heightened risk of psychopathology in these groups. Although rumination is a general risk factor for eating disorder (ED) psychopathology, no studies to date have examined whether eating- or gender-related ruminative patterns relate to maintenance of ED psychopathology for TNB individuals. This cross-sectional study investigated whether levels of rumination (both gender-related and ED-specific) mediated the relationship between minority stress and ED psychopathology. MethodParticipants were 242 TNB adults (Mage = 24.92, SD = 6.5, Range = 18-70) recruited online, who completed measures of minority stress, gender-related rumination, ED-specific rumination, and ED psychopathology. We used Preacher-Hayes' approach to examine the parallel mediation model, with gender-related and ED-specific rumination as potential mediators. ResultsGender-related rumination did not mediate the relation between gender minority stress and ED psychopathology, Indirect B = -0.00 [95% BCa CI: -0.01, 0.00]; however, ED-specific rumination was significant, indicating partial mediation, Indirect B = 0.01 [95% BCa CI: 0.00, 0.02]. ConclusionAs gender minority stress and ED-specific rumination relate to ED psychopathology, it is essential that clinicians adopt an intersectional minority stress framework in understanding ED psychopathology among TNB individuals.