SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Psychosocial problems are a result of a mismatch between an

individual’s expectations and needs and what the society expects or is
able to offer. Psychosocial problems affect our Quality of life, our self
esteem and the extent to which we are able to relate to others.
Transgender persons face innumerable difficulties in their day to day
existence. The uncommonness of their identities breeds fear and is
responsible for people having a negative attitude towards them.

The present study investigated the psycho social problems of

transgenders and the attitudes held by people towards transgenders. The
effect of certain socio demographic factors on the QOL, self esteem and
social anxiety of transgenders was examined. A preliminary study
facilitated the selection of the variables and helped the investigator to
their perceptions of how society viewed them and to understand how to
establish rapport with the transgenders.

The study was conducted in three phases. The first phase dealt with
the psycho social problems of transgenders and studied their QOL, Self
esteem and Social anxiety. The design used was an expost facto design. A
purposive sampling design was followed to collect the data. Two hundred
MtF transgenders, 100 from urban and 100 from rural, between 18 years
and 50 years were included. Case studies of six transgenders were also
collected by using a semi standardized interview schedule. The tools used
in this phase were WHO QOL- Bref, Rosenberg’s Self esteem Scale ,
Fear of Negative Evaluation and a demographic sheet with certain
questions pertaining to their problems. Case studies of six transgenders
was undertaken with the help of a semi standardized interview schedule.

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 In the second phase the attitude of students and adults towards
transgenders was studied. The sample comprised of 60 college students,
32 boys and 28 girls and 60 adults, 30 males and 30 females. A
questionnaire with 17 items prepared by the investigator to assess the
attitude towards transgenders was used.

Phase III was an experimental study. The design used was the one
group pretest – post test. An awareness programme on transgenders was
conducted on a group of 60 students and their attitude towards
transgenders before the programme (pre test) was compared with their
attitude after the programme(post test) . A sample of the news paper
reports on transgenders for a period of four years from 2007 to 2011 was
also analyzed to study their problems and the level of their acceptance by
the general public.

One way ANOVA, t tests and percentages were used to analyse the
data quantitatively. The results showed that among the socio demographic
factors which affected QOL were place of residence, education, income,
occupation and living arrangement. Having undergone SRS and age when
they realized their gender variance also influenced QOL. Self esteem was
influenced by occupation, living arrangement and age of realization of
gender variance. Age, place of residence, occupation and living
arrangement influenced social anxiety in transgenders. Among the
problems experienced by transgenders were difficulty in finding a job
(94%), housing (95.5%) , rejection by family and friends(71%) and lack
of financial support from family ( 96%). Fifty four percent of them had
joined a transgender rights association.

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 No sex difference was observed when the attitude of the society
towards the transgenders was examined. Adults had a significantly more
favorable attitude towards the transgenders when compared to the college
students. An awareness programme on transgenders conducted on college
students showed that it was possible for the students to make a positive
shift in their attitude.

CONCLUSIONS
1. Age does not have a significant influence on their QOL and self
esteem in transgenders.

2. Age has a significant influence on their social anxiety of

transgenders. The younger transgenders have significantly higher
social anxiety.

3. There is a significant difference between transgenders from the

rural and urban areas in all the domains of QOL except the
psychological.

4. There is no significant difference between transgenders who live in

the rural and urban areas in their self esteem.

5. There is a significant difference between transgenders who live in

the rural and urban areas in their self esteem.

6. There is a significant difference in the social relations and

environmental domains of QOL among the transgenders
categorized according to their educational qualifications

7. There is no significant difference in self esteem and social anxiety

among the transgenders categorized according to their educational
qualifications.

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 8. Income has a significant effect on the social relations and
environmental domains of QOL of transgenders.

9. Income does not have a significant effect on the self esteem and
social anxiety of transgenders.

10.Occupation has a significant effect all domains of QOL except that

of environmental in transgenders.

11.Occupation has a significant effect on the self esteem and social

anxiety of transgenders. Those who live by begging have lower self
esteem and higher social anxiety.

12. There is a significant difference in the social relations and

environmental domains of QOL of transgenders categorized on the
basis of their living arrangements.

13. There is a significant difference in the self esteem and social

anxiety of transgenders categorized on the basis of their living
arrangements. Transgenders who live with their families have
significantly lower self esteem than those who live alone or with
other transgenders. They also have a significantly higher level of
social anxiety.

14. There is a significant difference between transgenders who have

undergone sex reassignment surgery and those who have not in all
domains of QOL, except the psychological.

15.There is no significant difference between transgenders who have

undergone sex reassignment surgery and those who have not in self
esteem and social anxiety.

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 16. There is a significant difference in the physical health and social
relations domains of QOL of transgenders who have realized their
gender difference before 12 years and those who realize it after 12
years.
17. Transgenders who have realized their gender variance after 12
years have a significantly higher self esteem than those who realize
it before 12 years.

18. There is no significant difference in the social anxiety of

transgenders who have realized their gender difference before 12
years and those who realize it after 12 years.

19. The subjective rating of the QOL in the majority of the

transgenders is “neither poor nor good”. Majority of them are
“neither satisfied nor dissatisfied” with their health.

20.There is a significant difference between college students and

young adults in their attitude towards transgenders. Adults have a
significantly more favourable attitude towards transgenders than
the college students.

21. There is no significant sex difference in the attitude towards

transgenders among college students but there is a significant
difference between adult men and women in their attitude towards
transgenders.

22. Religion does not have a significant influence in the attitude

towards transgenders.

23.There is a significant difference in the attitude towards

transgenders in students after attending an awareness programme.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

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 The transgenders were drawn only from one state of India. Only
MtF transgenders were included in the study. Quantitative data was
collected only from transgenders who were below 50 years. The life
history details were collected from a small sample of six transgenders
only. The study did not explore positive strengths like resiliency or
personality factors in the transgenders which has helped some of them to
succeed and win against all odds.
In Phase II the attitude towards transgenders has not been related to
the participant’s prior experiences or exposure to transgenders. A control
group included in the experimental phase would have made the design
stronger.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Problems faced by transgenders can be studied by conducting

focussed group discussions. A comparative study of the problems of MtF
and FtM tansgenders can be made. Mental health problems like
depression and loneliness which was evident from the interview can be
taken up for further study.

More awareness programmes can be conducted in schools and

colleges so that young people will be able to understand and accept the
transgenders instead of avoiding them due to their fears and unexamined
beliefs.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study threw light on the problems faced by the transgenders. It

shows that lack of suitable skills has driven the transgenders to

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 prostitution and beggary. Functional literacy programmes can be
conducted for transgenders so that they can improve their employability.
Providing more training opportunities which will help them to be self
employed is the need of the hour since the study shows that finding
employment is one of their major problems.

The negative attitudes held by people can help us understand the

barriers faced by them in gaining social acceptance. Future awareness
programmes should focus on removing these barriers. Better
understanding of the problems and challenges faced by transgenders will
help in bringing about the changes in policies and give them their due
rights.

The results of the study, both quantitative and qualitative, provide

guidelines for counselling the transgenders. Counsellors should be given
more exposure to dealing with sex variant groups especially the
transgenders.

The study also shows how awareness programmes can make a shift
in attitudes towards transgenders. More programmes must be planned
especially for the students since it will sensitize them to the problems of
marginalized groups like the transgenders.

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