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Original Article | Open Access

Plastic and Aesthetic

Research

Hart et al. Plast Aesthet Res. 2026;13:3 DOI:10.20517/2347-9264.2025.93

Coping self-efficacy, social support, and mental

health among transgender and gender diverse
individuals seeking vaginoplasty and vulvoplasty

Elijah R. Hart , Finn Gornick , Jae Downing , Emile Latour , Solange Bassale , Daniel D. Dugi III 1,2,5 , Amy
4
3
4
1,2
1
Penkin , Geolani W. Dy 1,2,5
1
Keywords:
Transgender, coping, social
support, mental health,
genital gender-affirming
surgery, gender affirming
care
Citation: Hart ER,
Gornick F, Downing J,
Latour E, Bassale S, Dugi
DD. III , Penkin A,
Dy GW. Coping self-efficacy,
social support, and mental
health among transgender
and gender diverse
individuals seeking
vaginoplasty and
vulvoplasty. Plast Aesthet
Res. 2026;13:3.
https://dx.doi.org/10.20517 Abstract
/2347-9264.2025.93 Aim: The process of seeking genital gender-affirming surgery (GGAS) can be mentally and
emotionally taxing. Robust social support and effective coping strategies are essential for
Received: 22 Sep 2025 individuals pursuing GGAS, particularly during the perioperative period, when the complex
First Decision: 20 Nov
2025 demands of the healthcare system may exacerbate the adverse mental health effects of
Revised: 12 Dec 2025 stigma, discrimination, and isolation experienced by transgender and gender diverse (TGD)
Accepted: 9 Jan 2026 people. To inform interventions aimed at enhancing the mental health of TGD individuals
Published: 26 Jan 2026
during the perioperative period, we assessed the relationships among coping, mental
Academic Editors: health, and perceived social support in TGD patients seeking GGAS (vaginoplasty and
Xiao Long, Gennaro Selvaggi vulvoplasty) at an academic medical center.
Copy Editor:
Ting-Ting Hu Methods: Patients aged 18 years and older who attended a consultation visit for GGAS
Production Editor:
Ting-Ting Hu completed a one-time questionnaire (N = 118). Depression, anxiety, coping skills, and
perceived social support were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2),
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item scale (GAD-7), Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES),

and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), respectively.
1 Transgender Health Program, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
2 Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
3 School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
4 Biostatistics Shared Resources, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
5 Department of Urology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.

Correspondence to: Dr. Geolani W. Dy, Department of Urology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. E-mail:
dy@ohsu.edu

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