Gender Dysphoria

Effective Therapies for Gender Dysphoria
https://effectivechildtherapy.org/concerns-symptoms-disorders/disorders/gender-dysphoria/
"Currently, there are no psychological interventions that have been shown to reduce gender dysphoria. Therapies that aim to change a child or adolescent’s gender identity are considered unethical. However, transgender and gender nonconforming youth may benefit from seeing a therapist, who can help them cope with stressful experiences that they may face. Transgender and gender nonconforming youth may encounter family rejection, stigma, discrimination, or even interpersonal violence due to their gender identity or expression. These negative experiences may lead to anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It is very important that parents and families of transgender and gender nonconforming youth support and affirm their identity—for example, by using their preferred name and pronouns—as family acceptance is a strong protective factor against negative mental health outcomes.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health has published standards of care (WPATH SOC version 7) that all physical and mental health care providers should use when treating transgender and gender nonconforming youth. The WPATH SOC-7 outlines several gender-affirmative interventions that can help reduce youth’s gender dysphoria. Children and adolescents may choose to socially transition to live in their affirmed gender by changing their name, the pronouns they use, or their appearance (e.g., clothing, hairstyle). Secondly, some young adolescents may decide with their parents and doctors to take medications to suppress their pubertal development. This reversible medical intervention halts the development of physical characteristics that may be distressing for transgender and gender nonconforming youth (e.g., facial hair, breasts, deepening voice). Lastly, older adolescents—typically around age 16—may be eligible for gender-affirmative hormone therapy. Hormone therapy involves taking either estrogen or testosterone, which leads to significant physical changes that help transgender and gender nonconforming youths’ body match their gender identity. Some of these physical changes are permanent, though others may revert if youth stop hormone therapy. Surgical interventions are generally not recommended until age 18, except under certain circumstances."

Citations
Coleman, E., Bockting, W., Botzer, M., Cohen-Kettenis, P., DeCuypere, G., Feldman, J., & Zucker, K. (2012). Standards of care for the health of transsexual, transgender and gender-nonconforming people, version 7. International Journal of Transgenderism, 13, 165-232. doi:10.1080/15532739.2011.700873
Hembree, W. C., Cohen-Kettenis, P. T., Gooren, L., Hannema, S. E., Meyer, W. J., Murad, M. H., … & T’Sjoen, G. G. (2017). Endocrine treatment of gender-dysphoric/gender-incongruent persons: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism102(11), 3869-3903.
American Psychological Association. (2015). Guidelines for psychological practice with transgender and gender nonconforming people. American Psychologist, 70, 832-864. doi:10.1037/a0039906
Edwards-Leeper, L, Leibowitz, S., & Sangganjanavanich, V. F. (2016) Affirmative practice with transgender and gender nonconforming youth: Expanding the model. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 3,165-172. doi:10.1037/sgd0000167

Online Resources
www.genderspectrum.org
https://www.wpath.org/
http://www.imatyfa.org/
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/trvr_support_center/trans-gender-identity/#sm.00000dopvq72f9f7csksgc9ece7du
Supporting Caring for Transgender Children

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