scholarly journals Differential Experiences of Mental Health among Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth in Colorado

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Brittanie Atteberry-Ash ◽  
Shanna K. Kattari ◽  
Vern Harner ◽  
Dana M. Prince ◽  
Anthony P. Verdino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
Sexual Orientations ◽  
Youth Population ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Individual

Young people experience a variety of mental health concerns, including depression, non-suicidal self-injury, and suicidal ideation. These issues are at even higher rates among transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) young people, due to the additional burden of having to navigate a world in which transphobia impacts them at the individual, organizational, and policy levels. However, much of the extant research focuses only on comparing TGD youth to cisgender counterparts. This study explores the nuance within the TDG youth population regarding mental health, examining how gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation change the likelihood of experiencing each of these mental health concerns. Among a sample of over 400 young people, findings indicate that those TGD young people who do not identify themselves within the masculine/feminine binary and those with marginalized sexual orientations were two to three times more likely to experience adverse mental health outcomes, as compared to their peers who are questioning their gender, and who are heterosexual. The implications for mental health professionals and others who work with young people are to recognize that mental health is not a one-size-fits all model for young TGD people, and that the intersection of multiple marginalized identities, must be addressed in order to improve the mental health of this group of young people. Findings can also be used to better understand issues of stigma, discrimination, and victimization in education, health care, and beyond.

Options and realities for trans and gender diverse young people receiving care in Australia’s mental health system: findings from Trans Pathways

2020 ◽  
pp. 000486742097276
Author(s):  
Penelope Strauss ◽  
Ashleigh Lin ◽  
Sam Winter ◽  
Zoe Waters ◽  
Vanessa Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Counselling Services ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
And Gender

Objective: Trans and gender diverse young people experience mental health difficulties self-harm and suicidality at markedly higher rates than the general population, yet they often feel isolated from mental health services. There is little qualitative research on the experiences of trans and gender diverse young people accessing mental health support in Australia. The objective of this study was to comprehensively explore the experiences of trans and gender diverse young people in Australia who have sought mental health support from therapists, counsellors, psychiatrists and/or inpatient care providers. Methods: We report on findings from the Trans Pathways study, which was a mixed-methods study to evaluate the experiences of trans and gender diverse young people accessing mental health services: specifically, therapy and counselling services, psychiatric services and mental health inpatient services. Results: A total of 859 trans and gender diverse young people aged 14–25 years across Australia completed an anonymous online questionnaire. Therapy and/or counselling services (64.4%) were most frequently sought by trans and gender diverse young people in this study, followed by psychiatric services (43.0%) and mental health inpatient services (12.3%). The findings demonstrated that many mental health professionals lacked expertise in gender diversity, and that trans and gender diverse young people found it difficult to locate mental health professionals who were able to meet their needs in a timely manner. Conclusion: These findings indicate that training is necessary for all mental health professionals to improve their knowledge of gender diversity, enhance the support provided to trans and gender diverse young people and help to address the high rates of poor mental health. The findings outlined here provide insight into the areas in which clinicians could optimise their care of trans and gender diverse young people.

scholarly journals The Role of the Avatar in Gaming for Trans and Gender Diverse Young People

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8617
Author(s):  
Helen Morgan ◽  
Amanda O'Donovan ◽  
Renita Almeida ◽  
Ashleigh Lin ◽  
Yael Perry
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
And Gender

A significant proportion of trans and gender diverse (TGD) young people report membership of the gaming community and resultant benefits to wellbeing. To date their experiences and needs regarding a key feature of games, the avatar, are largely unexplored, despite increasing interest in the therapeutic role of avatars in the general population. The aim of this study was to better understand the role of the avatar in gaming, its impact on TGD young people’s mental health, and their unique needs regarding avatar design. N = 17 TGD young people aged 11–22 years (M = 16.3 years) participated in four focus groups. A general inductive approach was used to thematically analyze the transcribed data. TGD young people report considerable therapeutic benefits of using avatars with positive mental health implications. Importantly, TGD young people use avatars to explore, develop and rehearse their experienced gender identities, often as a precursor to coming out in the offline world. They also report negative experiences of feeling excluded due to the constraints of conventional notions of gender that are widely reflected in game design. Participants described simple design features to better reflect gender diversity, such as increased customization. Such changes would facilitate the positive gains reported by participants and better reflect the diversity of young people who use games. The findings have important implications for both recreational and serious or therapeutic game design.

Associations between negative life experiences and the mental health of trans and gender diverse young people in Australia: findings from Trans Pathways

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 808-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penelope Strauss ◽  
Angus Cook ◽  
Sam Winter ◽  
Vanessa Watson ◽  
Dani Wright Toussaint ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Negative Life Experiences

AbstractBackgroundTrans and gender diverse (TGD) young people worldwide experience high rates of poor mental health; however, these rates were unknown in Australia. In addition, how negative life events affect the mental health of TGD young people has been largely unexplored.MethodsThis paper reports on novel mental health findings of Trans Pathways, the largest study ever conducted in Australia with trans (transgender) and gender diverse young people (N = 859; aged 14–25 years). The study was an anonymous online cross-sectional survey undertaken in 2016. Logistic and linear regression models were used to test associations between mental health outcomes and negative life experiences.ResultsTGD young people in Australia experience high levels of mental distress, including self-harming (79.7%), suicidal thoughts (82.4%), and attempting suicide (48.1%). Three in four participants had been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety (74.6% and 72.2%, respectively). Many TGD young people had been exposed to negative experiences such as peer rejection (89.0%), precarious accommodation (22.0%), bullying (74.0%), and discrimination (68.9%). Most poor mental health outcomes were associated with negative experiences. The strongest associations were found for precarious accommodation and issues within educational settings. For example, participants with a prior suicide attempt were almost six times more likely to have experienced issues with accommodation, including homelessness.ConclusionsThe current results highlight the urgent need for better mental health care and provide insight into areas for targeted mental health interventions. These findings are pertinent for clinicians working with trans young people and wider society.

scholarly journals Domestic Violence Training Experiences and Needs Among Mental Health Professionals: Implications From a Statewide Survey

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 901-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine E. Murray ◽  
Justin Davis ◽  
Lin Rudolph ◽  
Kelly N. Graves ◽  
Robin Colbert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
The North ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

There is growing recognition of the interconnections between domestic violence and mental health, especially related to mental health concerns among those who have experienced domestic violence victimization. Despite high rates of mental health concerns among victims and survivors, many mental health professionals lack sufficient training to understand and address domestic violence in their clinical work. The North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission convened a task force to examine training experiences and needs among mental health professionals in the state. A statewide survey revealed that mental health professionals vary in their levels of training to address domestic violence. A key finding was that mental health professionals who had received any training in domestic violence reported engaging in more comprehensive assessment and intervention practices. Implications for future research, practice, and policy are discussed.

scholarly journals Mental Health Issues and Complex Experiences of Abuse Among Trans and Gender Diverse Young People: Findings from Trans Pathways

LGBT Health ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 128-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penelope Strauss ◽  
Angus Cook ◽  
Sam Winter ◽  
Vanessa Watson ◽  
Dani Wright Toussaint ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
And Gender

scholarly journals Help-Seeking from a National Youth Helpline in Australia: An Analysis of Kids Helpline Contacts

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6024
Author(s):  
David Watling ◽  
Samantha Batchelor ◽  
Brian Collyer ◽  
Sharna Mathieu ◽  
Victoria Ross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Service Usage ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
Over Time

Counselling helplines or hotlines are key support services for young people with mental health concerns or in suicide and self-harm crises. We aimed to describe young peoples’ use of a national youth helpline (Kids Helpline, Australia, KHL) to understand how usage changed over time. A descriptive analysis was conducted on 1,415,228 answered contacts between 2012–2018. We described the trend of service usage over the observed period, the types of youth who used the service, and the problems young people contacted the service about. Phone (APC = −9.1, KHL: −10.4 to −7.8, p < 0.001) and email (APC = −13.7, 95%CI: −17.1 to −10.2, p < 0.001) contacts decreased over time whereas webchat contacts increased (APC = 16.7, 95%CI: 11.7 to 22.0, p < 0.001). With this increase in webchat contacts, there was an associated increase in total webchat contact duration. Concerns raised in contacts to the service were primarily related to emotional wellbeing and mental health concerns (53.2% phone, 57.3% webchat, 58.2% email) followed by social relationship issues (20.4% phone, 20.3% webchat, 16.8% email) and family relationships (19.4% phone, 17.2% webchat, 21.8% email). The increased preference for online text-based information and counselling services can help inform development of services for young people and allocation of staff/service training and resources.

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