Mental Health Literacy Among Individuals with Gender Dysphoria and Its Correlations with Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northwest of Iran

Abstract

Purpose:

This study aimed to investigate the association between satisfaction of basic psychological needs (SBPN) and mental health literacy among individuals with gender dysphoria.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Tabriz, northwest of Iran, from February 14 to July 15, 2024. A total of 161 individuals participated in the present study. Data were collected using two standardized self-report questionnaires: the Persian version of the basic psychological need satisfaction scale and the mental health literacy scale. SBPN was considered as a dependent variable. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to estimate the adjusted β, and 95% confidence interval (CI) was set for the association between the SBPN and the scores of mental health literacy dimensions.

Results:

The majority of the participants were assigned female at birth (n = 120; 74.53%). All participants were single. Awareness of mental health problems had a higher score among mental health literacy dimensions in both assigned female and male at birth. There was a statistically significant reverse association between wrong beliefs about mental health problems (β: −0.24, 95% CI: −1.02 to −0.3) and SBPN. Furthermore, there was a positive association between first-aid skills and help-seeking and SBPN (β: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.27–0.71).

Conclusion:

The present study highlights that higher first-aid skills, help-seeking, and self-help strategies were positively associated with SBPN. Conversely, higher score in wrong beliefs about mental health problems was linked with lower SBPN.