Publication Spotlight: Dr. Erika C. Esposito

At APF, our mission is to invest in innovative research and applications that prioritize people and their wellbeing. We believe that every research project we fund has the potential to advance the field of psychology and meaningfully impact peoples’ lives.

We’re proud to showcase the success of APF-funded research through our Publication Spotlight. The journey from initial research to publication is a major achievement, representing years of hard work and dedication. These publications mark significant milestones in our recipients’ careers and highlight the impact of APF’s support.

Each publication that has been supported by APF represents a step forward in our mission. From receiving initial APF funding to sharing these important findings with the world, these projects will shape future research, guide best practices and inform policy, allowing psychology to broaden its impact on the world.

Dr. Erika C. Esposito (She/Her)
2019 Visionary Grant
“Suicide Risk Among Transgender Youth: A Multimethod, Multi-informant Examination of Gender Identity”

Article
“Suicide ideation among transgender and gender diverse adolescents: The role of parental invalidation of adolescents’ gender identity.”

Journal
Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

Abstract
Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth experience chronic and acute stress associated with their gender identity contributing to their increased risk of suicide and suicide ideation (SI) compared to non-TGD peers. This study examined how invalidating and accepting gender-related experiences with a parent impact SI severity among TGD adolescents cross-sectionally and longitudinally, within-person. Participants were 15 TGD adolescents with past month SI recruited across community and clinical settings. Adolescents completed a baseline assessment of validated interviews and self-report measures on parental invalidation and SI severity. Over a 14-day follow-up period, adolescents reported instances of parental gender invalidation and acceptance, relative stress of those experiences, and SI severity multiple times/day via ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Bivariate associations of parental invalidation and acceptance with SI were examined at baseline, while multilevel models examined the relationship within-person over follow-up. Cross-sectionally, greater perceived invalidation and non-affirmation by their parents was associated with more severe SI. Over the follow up, instances of perceived parental invalidation were associated with passive SI within-person. Findings partially support the minority stress theory and social safety perspective by showing that perceived gender-invalidation from parents affects SI in TGD adolescents, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Further research is needed to identify specific emotional and cognitive factors, such as perceived stress, that contribute to the risk of SI among TGD youth and inform the development of targeted interventions for this vulnerable population.

Esposito, E. C., Ellerkamp, H., Eisenberg, A. M., Handley, E. D., & Glenn, C. R. (2024). Suicide ideation among transgender and gender diverse adolescents: The role of parental invalidation of adolescents’ gender identity. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-024-01203-y

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