Dataset Information

Perceptions of Sex, Gender, and Puberty Suppression: A Qualitative Analysis of Transgender Youth.

ABSTRACT: International guidelines recommend the use of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) agonists in adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD) to suppress puberty. Little is known about the way gender dysphoric adolescents themselves think about this early medical intervention. The purpose of the present study was (1) to explicate the considerations of gender dysphoric adolescents in the Netherlands concerning the use of puberty suppression; (2) to explore whether the considerations of gender dysphoric adolescents differ from those of professionals working in treatment teams, and if so in what sense. This was a qualitative study designed to identify considerations of gender dysphoric adolescents regarding early treatment. All 13 adolescents, except for one, were treated with puberty suppression; five adolescents were trans girls and eight were trans boys. Their ages ranged between 13 and 18 years, with an average age of 16 years and 11 months, and a median age of 17 years and 4 months. Subsequently, the considerations of the adolescents were compared with views of clinicians treating youth with GD. From the interviews with the gender dysphoric adolescents, three themes emerged: (1) the difficulty of determining what is an appropriate lower age limit for starting puberty suppression. Most adolescents found it difficult to define an appropriate age limit and saw it as a dilemma; (2) the lack of data on the long-term effects of puberty suppression. Most adolescents stated that the lack of long-term data did not and would not stop them from wanting puberty suppression; (3) the role of the social context, for which there were two subthemes: (a) increased media-attention, on television, and on the Internet; (b) an imposed stereotype. Some adolescents were positive about the role of the social context, but others raised doubts about it. Compared to clinicians, adolescents were often more cautious in their treatment views. It is important to give voice to gender dysphoric adolescents when discussing the use of puberty suppression in GD. Otherwise, professionals might act based on assumptions about adolescents' opinions instead of their actual considerations. We encourage gathering more qualitative research data from gender dysphoric adolescents in other countries.

SUBMITTER: Vrouenraets LJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4987409 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Perceptions of Sex, Gender, and Puberty Suppression: A Qualitative Analysis of Transgender Youth.

Vrouenraets Lieke Josephina Jeanne Johanna LJ Fredriks A Miranda AM Hannema Sabine E SE Cohen-Kettenis Peggy T PT de Vries Martine C MC

Archives of sexual behavior 20160601 7

International guidelines recommend the use of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) agonists in adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD) to suppress puberty. Little is known about the way gender dysphoric adolescents themselves think about this early medical intervention. The purpose of the present study was (1) to explicate the considerations of gender dysphoric adolescents in the Netherlands concerning the use of puberty suppression; (2) to explore whether the considerations of gender dysphoric ...[more]

PMID: 27251640

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Project description:BackgroundThis is the first study to investigate the effect of parental psychological abuse on potential psychopathological symptoms in gender minority youth subgroups, including transgender women, transgender men, and gender queer individuals.MethodsData was analysed from the Chinese National Transgender Survey in 2017; the survey was distributed through community-based organizations to transgender adolescents and adults residing in China, with representation from all 32 provinces and autonomous regions. A total of 1293 youth that self-identified as transgender or gender queer completed the study. Measures covered psychopathological symptoms including depression, anxiety, risk of suicideand self-harm. Parental psychological abuse was assessed in terms of neglect and avoidance, force to change, and verbal insults. Both the edges and centralities were computed via network analysis, and the network properties were then compared among the three gender minority subgroups. In addition, linear regression was adopted to test the predictive ability of node centrality for low self-esteem.ResultsDescriptive analysis revealed that among the three subgroups, transgender women had more severe psychopathological symptoms and reported the most psychological abuse. Network analysis revealed that the risk of suicide and self-harm was directly connected with one type of parental psychological abuse ("neglect and avoidance"). Node centrality was significantly associated with the predicting value of the nodes on low self-esteem (r2 = 0.25, 0.17, 0.31) among all three gender minority subgroups.ConclusionsThe distinctive core psychopathological symptoms, within the networks of the gender minority subgroups, revealed specific symptoms across each group. The significant association between node centrality and low self-esteem indicated the extent of parental psychological abuse. Parental psychological abuse directed towards gender minority youth should be recognized as a form of family cold violence. It is recommended that schools and local communities should support early intervention to improve psychological well-being.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Members of the transgender community have identified healthcare access barriers, yet a corresponding inquiry into healthcare provider perspectives has lagged. Our aim was to examine physician perceptions of barriers to healthcare provision for transgender patients. METHODS: This was a qualitative study with physician participants from Ontario, Canada. Semi-structured interviews were used to capture a progression of ideas related to barriers faced by physicians when caring for trans patients. Qualitative data were then transcribed verbatim and analysed with an emergent grounded theory approach. RESULTS: A total of thirteen (13) physician participants were interviewed. Analysis revealed healthcare barriers that grouped into five themes: Accessing resources, medical knowledge deficits, ethics of transition-related medical care, diagnosing vs. pathologising trans patients, and health system determinants. A centralising theme of "not knowing where to go or who to talk to" was also identified. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study show that physicians perceive barriers to the care of trans patients, and that these barriers are multifactorial. Access barriers impede physicians when referring patients to specialists or searching for reliable treatment information. Clinical management of trans patients is complicated by a lack of knowledge, and by ethical considerations regarding treatments--which can be unfamiliar or challenging to physicians. The disciplinary division of responsibilities within medicine further complicates care; few practitioners identify trans healthcare as an interest area, and there is a tendency to overemphasise trans status in mental health evaluations. Failure to recognise and accommodate trans patients within sex-segregated healthcare systems leads to deficient health policy. The findings of this study suggest potential solutions to trans healthcare barriers at the informational level--with increased awareness of clinical guidelines and by including trans health issues in medical education-and at the institutional level, with support for both trans-focused and trans-friendly primary care models.

Dataset Information

Perceptions of Sex, Gender, and Puberty Suppression: A Qualitative Analysis of Transgender Youth.

Publications

Perceptions of Sex, Gender, and Puberty Suppression: A Qualitative Analysis of Transgender Youth.

Similar Datasets

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