Systematic review: Psychological/psychosocial interventions for the families of gender diverse youth under 18 years old

Abstract

Background The aim of this paper is the systematic review of psychological/psychosocial interventions for gender diverse youth under 18 years of age and their families, based on the published protocol: PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020163995. Methods A search strategy was developed using key terms. An electronic literature search was completed using the following data bases (OVID MEDLINE; EBSCO CINAHL; ProQuest MEDLINE; OVID PsycINFO). Only studies published in English between 2001–2021 were included. This review is based on PRISMA guidance. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were quality appraised using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool (MMAT). Results 8405 studies were independently screened. Four studies met the inclusion criteria for the study. Parents of transgender youth attended between one and 11 psychological/psychosocial group interventions. Parents reported reduced isolation and increased knowledge, which enabled them to advocate for their young person`s needs. Psychological/psychosocial group interventions were creating challenges in terms of group processes, with some parents dominating interactions. Psychological/psychosocial group interventions were positive for parents, but no outcomes were collected for transgender young people. Conclusion More research is required to understand the role of group facilitators, the optimal group size and the number of psychological/psychosocial intervention sessions required.

Clinical guidelines for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence: a systematic review of recommendations (part 2)

“…Overall, guidelines describe a care pathway similar to the original Dutch protocol that involves psychosocial care for prepubertal children followed by hormonal interventions for adolescents who meet specific criteria, provided by a specialist multidisciplinary team 41. This approach continues to dominate clinical guidance despite lack of high-quality evidence regarding treatments,42–50 or exploring alternative care models 5…”

“…Such guidance may help reduce barriers to equitable and evidence-based care. However, limited research about psychosocial care for this population may prevent development of evidence-based guidance 42–44…”

Medical care for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria and gender inconsistency in the light of current recommendations - how to implement the "primum non nocere" principle?

“…It seems that psychological interventions should have crucial role in management of minors with gender dysphoria. Unfortunately, in a very recent systematic review of Lehmann and Leavey (2023), concerning psychological and psychosocial interventions for gender diverse minors and their families, only four papers published between 2001 and 2021 met the inclusion criteria, and the main conclusion from the study is the need for further research in this area.…”