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Similarity in transgender and cisgender children's gender development.

ABSTRACT: Gender is one of the central categories organizing children's social world. Clear patterns of gender development have been well-documented among cisgender children (i.e., children who identify as a gender that is typically associated with their sex assigned at birth). We present a comprehensive study of gender development (e.g., gender identity and gender expression) in a cohort of 3- to 12-y-old transgender children (n = 317) who, in early childhood, are identifying and living as a gender different from their assigned sex. Four primary findings emerged. First, transgender children strongly identify as members of their current gender group and show gender-typed preferences and behaviors that are strongly associated with their current gender, not the gender typically associated with their sex assigned at birth. Second, transgender children's gender identity (i.e., the gender they feel they are) and gender-typed preferences generally did not differ from 2 comparison groups: cisgender siblings (n = 189) and cisgender controls (n = 316). Third, transgender and cisgender children's patterns of gender development showed coherence across measures. Finally, we observed minimal or no differences in gender identity or preferences as a function of how long transgender children had lived as their current gender. Our findings suggest that early sex assignment and parental rearing based on that sex assignment do not always define how a child identifies or expresses gender later.

SUBMITTER: Gulgoz S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6900519 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Similarity in transgender and cisgender children's gender development.

Gülgöz Selin S Glazier Jessica J JJ Enright Elizabeth A EA Alonso Daniel J DJ Durwood Lily J LJ Fast Anne A AA Lowe Riley R Ji Chonghui C Heer Jeffrey J Martin Carol Lynn CL Olson Kristina R KR

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20191118 49

Gender is one of the central categories organizing children's social world. Clear patterns of gender development have been well-documented among cisgender children (i.e., children who identify as a gender that is typically associated with their sex assigned at birth). We present a comprehensive study of gender development (e.g., gender identity and gender expression) in a cohort of 3- to 12-y-old transgender children (<i>n</i> = 317) who, in early childhood, are identifying and living as a gende ...[more]

PMID: 31740598

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Project description:BackgroundThe term "transgender" refers to an individual whose gender identity is different from their sex assigned at birth, whereas the term "cisgender" refers to an individual whose gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at birth. In Thailand, studies on health outcomes and quality of life of Thai transgender youths have not included assessments from nationally-representative samples. The objective of this study is to assess the extent that behavioral health outcomes and exposure to violence varied by gender among respondents of the National School Survey on Alcohol Consumption, Substance Use and Other Health-Risk Behaviors.MethodsWe used data from a nationally-representative self-administered survey of secondary school students in years 7, 9 and 11 and classified participants as cisgender boys, cisgender girls, transgender boys, and transgender girls. Participants also answered questions on depressive experience, suicidality, sexual behaviors, alcohol and tobacco use, drug use, and past-year experience of violence. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and modified multivariate Poisson regression with adjustment for sampling weights to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsA total of 31,898 respondents (82.8% of those who returned complete and valid questionnaires) answered questions on sex and gender identity and were included in the analyses (n = 31,898 respondents), approximately 2.5% of whom identified as transgender. Transgender boys had a higher prevalence suicidal ideation than cisgender boys (APR = 2.97; 95% CI = 1.89, 4.67) and cisgender girls (APR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.55, 3.40). Transgender girls were less likely than cisgender boys and girls to be ever drinkers, while transgender boys were more likely than cisgender boys and girls to be ever drinkers. Transgender girls had higher past-year exposure to sexual violence than cisgender boys (APR = 2.74; 95% CI = 1.52, 4.95) and cisgender girls (APR = 4.93; 95% CI = 2.52, 9.67).ConclusionWe found disparities in behavioral health and experience of violence between transgender and cisgender adolescents in Thailand. The findings highlighted the need for program managers and policy makers to consider expanding local efforts to address health gaps in the LGBTQ community to also include school-going youth population.

Project description:Abstract Background: While there is growing awareness of the need to support the physical and mental wellbeing of transgender people, some may be reluctant to seek help from healthcare professionals. Little is understood about the mechanisms that influence help-seeking behavior in this group. Aims: This study aimed to compare transgender and cisgender participants in their likelihood to seek help for both physical and mental health conditions, and to explore whether this help-seeking behavior is predicted by a range of sociodemographic and psychological variables. Methods: 123 participants living in Ireland (cisgender= 67; transgender= 56) completed a questionnaire which included demographic questions, as well as measures of optimism (LOT-R), self-esteem (RSES), psychological distress (GHQ-12), attitudes towards seeking psychological help (ATSPPH-SF), and attitudes towards seeking help for a physical health problem (Attitudes Towards Seeking Medical Help Scale- Action/Intervention subscale). Associations between predictor variables and mental and physical health seeking were explored using correlation analysis and stepwise regressions. Results: Transgender participants were less likely to seek help for a physical health issue than cisgender participants, but did not differ in mental health help-seeking behaviors. Results suggest that this may be due to differences in optimism, self-esteem and psychological distress. Transgender participants had significantly lower optimism and self-esteem, which were two factors linked to poorer physical health seeking behaviors. Optimism also emerged as a significant predictor in mental health seeking behaviors. Discussion: The lack of a significant difference for mental health help-seeking between the transgender and cisgender participants is encouraging, as it suggests that there is less stigma surrounding mental illness than expected, however findings also contradict previous findings suggesting that physical health is less stigmatized. This could be due to stigma relating to gender-specific healthcare and suggests that healthcare professionals should acknowledge the specific healthcare needs and concerns among transgender individuals.

Project description:Medical advances in assisted reproductive technology have created new ways for transgender persons to become parents outside the context of adoption. The limited empirical data does not support the idea that trans-parenthood negatively impacts children's development. However, the question has led to lively societal debates making the need for evidence-based studies urgent. We aimed to compare cognitive development, mental health, gender identity, quality of life and family dynamics using standardized instruments and experimental protocols in 32 children who were conceived by donor sperm insemination (DSI) in French couples with a cisgender woman and a transgender man, the transition occurring before conception. We constituted two control groups matched for age, gender and family status. We found no significant difference between groups regarding cognitive development, mental health, and gender identity, meaning that neither the transgender fatherhood nor the use of DSI had any impact on these characteristics. The results of the descriptive analysis showed positive psycho-emotional development. Additionally, when we asked raters to differentiate the family drawings of the group of children of trans-fathers from those who were naturally conceived, no rater was able to differentiate the groups above chance levels, meaning that what children expressed through family drawing did not indicate cues related to trans-fatherhood. However, when we assessed mothers and fathers with the Five-Minute Speech Sample, we found that the emotions expressed by transgender fathers were higher than those of cisgender fathers who conceived by sex or by DSI. We conclude that the first empirical data regarding child development in the context of trans-parenthood are reassuring. We believe that this research will also improve transgender couple care and that of their children in a society where access to care remains difficult in this population. However, further research is needed with adolescents and young adults.

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Similarity in transgender and cisgender children's gender development.

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Similarity in transgender and cisgender children's gender development.

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