Support for the Efficacy of Parental Support in Mitigating Psychiatric Co-Morbidities in Adolescents With Gender Dysphoria

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. S90 - S91
• Main Authors: Ditchek, Lisa B., BS, Teelin, Karen L., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Inc 01-02-2017; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Autism; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Eating disorders; Efficacy; Family support; Gender differences; Gender dysphoria; Medical diagnosis; Medical referrals; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Pediatrics; Teenagers; Transgender persons
• ISSN: 1054-139X; 1879-1972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.10.359

An abstract of a study by Ditchek and Teelin comparing mental health diagnoses in patients referred for gender dysphoria with patients referred to Adolescent Clinic for other reasons is presented. The average age of cisgendered patients presenting for new consultation was 16 years 2 months. There were more transgender males referred to the clinic than transgender females (63.0% of referrals for gender dysphoria were natal females. ) Of the cis-gendered patients, 78.2% were female. 74.4% of the cis-gendered patients had a mental health diagnosis, compared with 60% of patients with Gender Dysphoria. The incidence of Autism was 1.5% of patients with Gender Dysphoria and 3.8% of cis-gendered patients. Eating disorders were diagnosed in 3.0% of patients with Gender Dysphoria, while 10.3% of cis-gendered patients had an eating disorder. None of these differences had p values less than 0.5.