Due to the poor mental health outcomes experienced by transgender young people, there is a greater need for this population to access effective mental health services. This is particularly apparent within the secondary school environment where transgender young people experience a high prevalence of victimization, bullying, and harassment. However, no research to date has investigated the experiences of transgender young people in school counseling. To address this gap in the literature, the current study explored the school counseling experiences of transgender young people in an Australian sample. Eleven transgender participants completed individual semistructured interviews and the data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four superordinate themes were identified: the transgender young person, the role of the therapeutic relationship, the counseling space, and the school environment. The findings demonstrate the importance of a strong therapeutic relationship, informed and knowledgeable school psychologists and counselors, acts of support and advocacy, and a safe counseling space for the school counseling experiences of transgender young people. Additionally, the findings highlight the impact transgender identities and school environmental factors have on these counseling experiences. The article provides practical implications for school psychologists and counselors working with transgender young people, including the need for transgender-specific training and education and suggestions for ways to advocate and support transgender young people in the school environment. Limitations of the current study and relevant directions for future research are also discussed.
Public Significance StatementThe current study demonstrates the impact of transgender identities and queer positioning on the school counseling experiences of transgender young people. The significance of professional transgender knowledge and education for school psychologists and counselors, as well as the role of a strong therapeutic relationship were highlighted as important contributions toward these school counseling experiences. Additionally, professionals providing access to a safe and nonjudgmental school counseling space and a safe, comfortable and inclusive school environment were crucial to transgender young people's school counseling experiences.
Many school psychologists lack transgender training and education and feel underprepared to work with this population. However, little is known about school psychologists' engagement with transgender training and education. To redress this gap, the current study explored cisgender school psychologists' perceptions of transgender training and education. Seven Australian cisgender psychologists completed individual, semistructured interviews, and the data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three superordinate themes were identified: practicality and utility of training,LGBTQþ curriculum within tertiary education, and addressing the needs of transgender young people. The findings demonstrate the importance of using real-life experiences and case studies within training, having access to available training opportunities, recognizing the global utility of transgender training, updating tertiary LGBTQþ curriculum, and using a queer-informed holistic lens within transgender training and education. Practical implications include promoting the global utility of transgender training, "queering" tertiary education, and incorporating lived experiences into training opportunities. Future research should further investigate the impact of certain types of transgender training and education opportunities on psychologists' perceived competency and client outcomes.
Public Significance StatementThis is the first known study to qualitatively explore school psychologists' perceptions of transgender training and education. This study aims to better our understanding of school psychologists' engagement with, and experiences of, transgender training and education, as well as further improving and developing current transgender training opportunities and updating LGBTQþ tertiary curriculum content.
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