How different kinds of social support affect health and well-being for transgender and nonbinary adults
Official title: A multidimensional investigation of social support for transgender and nonbinary people and its impacts on health and well-being: Measurement development using community engagement
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11366166 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will create a new tool to find which kinds of support help transgender and nonbinary adults feel safer and healthier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $717,502 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD018571-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11366166 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Transgender and nonbinary adults age 21 and older, especially those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds or with limited resources, are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, cisgender individuals, or those outside the target communities may not directly benefit from this project's findings.
What this research studies
You would help a research team and community partners build a detailed measure of social support that matters for transgender and nonbinary (TNB) adults. The work includes interviews and focus groups, daily-life phone prompts (ecological momentary assessment), and longer surveys collected over time from about 1,299 participants. The team plans to intentionally include many TNB people of color and people with fewer resources so the tool reflects diverse experiences. The final measure will be tested and validated to show which types of support best protect mental and physical health in TNB communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors, counselors, and community groups tailor support to reduce depression, anxiety, and suicide risk among TNB people.
How similar studies have gone: Research generally shows social support improves mental health, but creating a validated, multi-dimensional measure specific to TNB communities is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tebbe, Elliot — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Tebbe, Elliot
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.