Final answer:
Anxiety rates are higher in transgender persons who lack support for their gender identity. Acceptance and support can lead to mental health outcomes similar to cisgender peers, and societal acceptance has broader positive effects on LGBTQ mental health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research in the area of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth has indicated that anxiety rates are higher in transgender persons who are not supported in their gender identity. Studies show that unsupported transgender youth exhibit more symptoms and risk factors of depression and anxiety compared to those who receive support (Olson, Durwood, & McLaughlin, 2016). Conversely, transgender and gender-nonconforming youth who experience acceptance tend to have mental health outcomes comparable to their cisgender peers. It is important to note that intimate partner violence (IPV), including both physical and sexual IPV, is also more prevalent among transgender individuals, with transgender persons being 1.7 times more likely to experience IPV (Peitzmeier 2020).
Overall, the mental health challenges faced by transgender persons are complex and are influenced by a variety of factors including familial support, societal acceptance, and the presence of gender dysphoria. Evidence suggests that the emotional and mental wellbeing of LGBTQ people improves with societal acceptance and legal recognition, as evidenced by the decreased rates of self-destruction among high school students following the legalization of same-sex marriage (Johns Hopkins University, 2017).