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Research
Gender DiversityNot all children or teenagers identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. As a result, some may choose to change their name, their clothes or their body. With considerably higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and attempted suicide, the need for specialist mental health services has been recognised.
News & Events
My child is trans – how do I support them?Raising a child in one gender and then having them identify as another at any stage in their life can be difficult for a parent to understand and is not always an easy shift for a parent to make.
News & Events
New website provides tools and resources for parents of gender diverse children and young peopleTransforming Families is providing evidence-based resources to help support the mental wellbeing of young people questioning their gender identity, or who identify as trans or gender diverse.
News & Events
Pilot program to improve gender equality in scienceThe Kids Research Institute Australia is proud to have been selected in a pilot program to improve the promotion and retention of women and gender minorities in science.
Research
E-cigarette use among gender and sexuality diverse (LGBTQA+) adolescents in Australia: The case for LGBTQA+ affirmative harm reductionThis study aimed to provide a first-ever comprehensive epidemiology of vaping behaviours among Australian gender and sexuality diverse (LGBTQA+) youth.
Research
Plasma testosterone concentration is correlated with circulating immune cell abundance in transgender young people on gender-affirming hormone treatmentSex hormones, such as oestrogen and testosterone, display significant immune modulatory properties. This is highly relevant for transgender (trans) people who undergo gender-affirming hormone (GAH) treatment. However, only a limited number of studies have evaluated the immunological impact of GAH treatments, and almost none have assessed the impact in trans young people.
Research
Factors Influencing Parental Acceptance of Trans Children and Young People: Findings from Trans PathwaysTrans youth are at high risk of mental health difficulties and negative life events. Strong parental support is highly protective however there is little understanding of what factors facilitate the process of parental understanding and acceptance of a child’s gender identity.
Research
Parental occupational exposure to potential endocrine disrupting chemicals and risk of hypospadias in infantsRates and types of hospitalisations for children who have subsequent contact with the child protection system: a population based case-control study
Research
Mental health assessment of transgender youth - Should standardised psychological measures be scored by norms of birth-registered sex?Standardised psychometric measures are used in mental health care and research settings to identify risk, assist diagnosis, and assess symptom severity. Standardised scoring of these measures involves transforming respondents' raw scores using binary sex norms. However, scoring manuals offer no guidance as to appropriate scoring methods for trans and non-binary respondents.
Research
A Pilot Group Program for Parents of Trans Young People at a Specialized Pediatric Gender Diversity ServiceParental support is strongly associated with protective factors across a range of child health outcomes for trans young people. Commonly, parents report barriers to supporting their child such as lack of understanding and difficulty in accessing information and support regarding gender diversity.