Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, Vol 13(3), Sep 2026, 440-453; doi:10.1037/sgd0000743
The gender minority stress and resilience measure (GMSRM) is the premiere measure for understanding the impacts of gender-related stress on the mental health of trans and nonbinary (TNB) individuals. However, the distal and proximal stress scales of the GMSRM have yet to be subjected to rigorous psychometric testing despite prior research identifying areas of concern regarding the factor structure. The current study utilized a sample of 468 TNB participants to assess the best fitting factor structure of the distal and proximal stress scales. Preliminary confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the published seven-factor model indicated that the rating scale for the gender-related discrimination, rejection, and victimization items should not be converted to dichotomous variables, as the originally published instructions indicate, and that the existing items evidence concerns of redundancy. In response, exploratory factor analyses were conducted that indicated the distal and proximal stress scales of the GMSRM should be comprised of 27 items representing four factors: gender-related prejudice, nonaffirmation of gender identity, negative expectations for the future, and internalized transphobia. Subsequent CFA of this modified structure (i.e., the modified gender minority stress measure [M-GMSM]) with a second independent sample of 564 TNB participants indicated that this model fit the data well. Results of multigroup CFA demonstrated partial metric noninvariance and dimensionality assessment supported a multidimensional measure comprised of four factors. Finally, convergent, predictive, and partial discriminant validity of the M-GMSM was supported. Collectively, the results of the present study provide support for a M-GMSM with increased psychometric validity as well as reduced item length. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)