Gender Identity Changes and Depression in Youth: A Longitudinal Study
This study explores how changes in gender identity relate to depressive symptoms in sexual and gender minority (SGM) youths. Conducted over 3.5 years with 366 participants aged 15-21, the research found that 18.2% of the youths reported changes in their gender identity. Participants who transitioned from cisgender to transgender or gender diverse (TGD) initially reported higher levels of depression. However, this increase was linked to exposure to violence against LGBT individuals rather than the gender identity change itself.
The study used the Beck Depression Inventory for Youth (BDI-Y) to assess depressive symptoms and tracked gender identity changes over four assessment points. Four groups emerged: consistently cisgender, consistently TGD, initially cisgender then TGD, and initially TGD then cisgender. Despite initial higher depression levels in the transitioning group, there was no significant long-term association between changing gender identities and depressive symptoms once external factors like LGBT violence were considered.
Overall, the findings suggest that gender identity exploration is a typical part of adolescence for some SGM youths and does not inherently lead to increased depressive symptoms. Future studies should further investigate the complexities of gender identity development and its impact on mental health.
