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Published on: February 16, 2011
Supporting Occupational Justice for Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming People Through Narrative-Informed Theater: A
Sally Wasmuth1, Bethany Leonhardt2, Kevin Pritchard3
1Sally Wasmuth, PhD, OTR, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis; swasmuth@iu.edu.
Importance:
Societal stigma gravely impedes occupational justice for transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) people, producing vast health disparities for this population.
Objective:
To test the feasibility of an intervention to reduce stigma and improve the well-being of TGNC people.
Design:
A parallel, mixed-methods design was used to test feasibility in the areas of acceptability, demand, and limited efficacy.
Setting:
Community.
Participants:
Forty-two audience members and 5 TGNC interviewees.
Intervention:
Virtual, narrative-informed play reading and moderated discussion about gender diversity and affirmative care. Outcomes and Measures: The valid and reliable Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Stigma was used to assess stigma beliefs. An open-ended, qualitative question assessed TGNC interviewees' experiences.
Results:
Recruitment and participant responses to the intervention indicated feasibility in the areas of acceptability, demand, and limited efficacy. However, future efforts at obtaining a diverse TGNC sample are needed.
Conclusions And Relevance:
The intervention decreased stigma beliefs in audience members and offered a positive experience for TGNC participants. Feasibility outcomes warrant future efficacy testing. What This Article Adds: This article adds an innovative intervention for promoting occupational justice to support the health and well-being of TGNC people. The community-based intervention facilitates change in societal attitudes and stigmatizing beliefs.
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