Adolescent gender diversity: sociodemographic correlates and mental health outcomes in the general population - Ghassabian - 2022 - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry - Wiley Online Library

Adolescent Gender Diversity Study Findings

• Study Overview: A population-based study of 5,727 adolescents from the "Generation R" cohort in Rotterdam, Netherlands (born 2002–2006).
• Methodology: Researchers assessed "gender-variant experience" at ages 9–11 and 13–15 using questions regarding contentedness with assigned gender. Mental health was evaluated at 13–15 years using the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment.
• Prevalence:
  • 4% of adolescents reported gender-variant experience at age 13–15.
  • Less than 1% of parents reported their child had gender-variant experience, suggesting a significant gap in parental awareness.
• Sociodemographic Correlates:
  • Adolescents assigned female at birth reported higher levels of gender-variant experience than those assigned male.
  • Parents with lower or medium educational levels were more likely to report gender-variant experiences in their children compared to highly educated parents.
  • Gender-variant experiences showed poor stability between the 9–11 and 13–15 age groups.
• Mental Health Outcomes:
  • Gender-variant experience was positively associated with a range of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, somatic complaints, rule-breaking, aggressive behavior, and attention/social/thought problems.
  • Autistic traits were also positively associated with gender-variant experience, independent of other mental health difficulties.
  • These associations remained consistent regardless of the adolescent's sex assigned at birth.
• Conclusion: The study highlights that gender diversity is present in the general population and is linked to increased mental health symptoms, emphasizing the need for broader awareness beyond clinical referral settings.