Advancing the Practice of Pediatric Psychology With Transgender Youth: State of the Science,Ongoing Controversies,and Future Directions

Abstract

Growing numbers of transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) youth are presenting for medical and mental health care, and increasingly, pediatric psychologists are being called upon to serve as critical members of interdisciplinary care teams. In this commentary, we present information on TGNC youth in three distinct developmental cohorts: prepubescent TGNC children, peripubertal TGNC youth, and pubertal TGNC adolescents. First, we describe the social, medical, and/or surgical treatments available to each cohort of youth. Next, we address the state of the science related to these treatments. Then, we highlight some of the ongoing controversies related to social, medical and/or surgical interventions that are most relevant to pediatric psychologists and the role they play in gender-affirming care. Finally, we conclude with a call for papers for an upcoming special issue of Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology focused on advancing the practice of pediatric psychology in transgender health care.

Implications for Impact Statement

This commentary presents information on three distinct cohorts of transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) youth: prepubescent TGNC children, early pubertal TGNC youth, and late pubertal TGNC adolescents. We describe social, medical, and/or surgical treatments available to each group, outcomes research related to these treatments, and ongoing controversies that are most relevant to pediatric psychologists and the role they play on interdisciplinary treatment teams. This information is critical to guide pediatric psychologists as they more frequently encounter TGNC youth in clinical practice and to help propel forward important clinical research.