The dissertation defense will be open and held virtually.
This event has passed. The written dissertation or abstract is available by clicking the link below.
The PhD in Translational Health Sciences Program is proud to announce the Dissertation Defense of:
PhD Candidate: Tiff Cunin, MPH
Unveiling the Dynamics of Intersectional Aging: A Qualitative Exploration of Aging and Social Participation Among Transgender Older Adults
Dissertation Committee Chair: Mary Corcoran, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
February 4, 2025 10:00 AM - Noon
For more than thirty years, extensive research has focused on understanding and supporting healthy aging among older adults in the United States. This research has emphasized the importance of community engagement, access to resources, and interpersonal relationships among the broader older adult population, however, it has failed to advance our understanding of how transgender older adults experience aging and how those experiences influence social participation. Furthermore, there is a need to understand how intersecting marginalized identities like race and transgender identity affect social participation among transgender older adults. The purpose of this study was to understand transgender older adults’ experiences aging as it is related to social participation. This study employed a qualitative multiple case study design for data collection and applied methodological bricolage and principles from critical realism for data analysis. Findings revealed that transgender older adults have distinct experiences with aging and social participation based on the gender and race. It was found that experiences differ among transgender men and transgender women, and that experiences differ among Black transgender men and white transgender men. According to the findings, the impact of discrimination, safety, and well-being can either enhance or hinder agency and capacity for social participation among transgender older adults. This work offers a theory of change for engaging transgender older adults in community-based social participation and a testable hypothesis to serve as the basis for future research.