John F Strang1,2, Megan Knauss1,3, Anna van der Miesen4, Jenifer K McGuire5,6, Lauren Kenworthy2,7, Reid Caplan8, Andrew Freeman9, Eleonora Sadikova1, Zosia Zaks10, Noor Pervez8, Anouk Balleur11, D W Rowlands12, Ely Sibarium13, Laura Willing1,2, Marissa A McCool14,15, Randall D Ehrbar16, Shannon E Wyss17,18, Harriette Wimms19, Joshua Tobing20, John Thomas21, Julie Austen22, Elyse Pine23, April D Griffin24, Aron Janssen25, Veronica Gomez-Lobo1,26, Abigail Brandt1,27, Colleen Morgan1,27, Haley Meagher1, Dena Gohari1, Laura Kirby1, Laura Russell1, Meredith D Powers1, Laura G Anthony28. 1. Gender and Autism Program, Division of Neuropsychology, Children's National Health System. 2. George Washington University School of Medicine, George Washington University. 3. Alliance of Community Health Plans. 4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, VU University Medical Center. 5. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota. 6. National Center for Gender Spectrum Health, University of Minnesota. 7. Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Children's National Health System. 8. Autistic Self Advocacy Network. 9. Department of Psychology, University of Nevada. 10. Hussman Center for Adults with Autism, Towson University. 11. Parnassia Psychiatric Institute. 12. University of Maryland. 13. Yale College, Yale University. 14. Queer Indigenous and People of Color (QIPOC), Augsburg University. 15. V-Day, University of Pennsylvania. 16. Whitman-Walker Health. 17. Gender and Sexuality Education and Advocacy Program, Children's National Medical Center. 18. Transgender Leadership Initiative, AIDS United. 19. Youth Gender Care Services, The Village Family Support Center of Baltimore. 20. National Women's Law Center. 21. Transgender and Autism Services, Falls Church Counseling. 22. Carolina Converge Gender Affirming Services. 23. LGBT Health Resource Center, Chase Brexton Health Care. 24. Saskatchewan Canada. 25. Gender and Sexuality Service, Child Study Center, New York University Medical School. 26. Division of Pediatric Gynecology, Children's National Health System. 27. Division of Hearing and Speech, Children's National Health System. 28. Department of Psychiatry, Pediatric Mental Health Institute, Children's Hospital of Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Abstract
Objective: A series of studies report elevated rates of autism and autistic characteristics among gender-diverse youth seeking gender services. Although youth with the co-occurrence present with complex care needs, existing studies have focused on co-occurrence rates. Further, clinical commentaries have emphasized provider-centered interpretations of clinical needs rather than key stakeholder-driven clinical approaches. This study aimed to employ community-based participatory research methodologies to develop a key stakeholder-driven clinical group program.Method: Autistic/neurodiverse gender-diverse (A/ND-GD) youth (N = 31), parents of A/ND-GD youth (N = 46), A/ND-GD self-advocates (N = 10), and expert clinical providers (N = 10) participated in a multi-stage community-based participatory procedure. Needs assessment data were collected repeatedly over time from A/ND-GD youth and their parents as the youth interacted with one another through ongoing clinical groups, the curriculum of which was developed progressively through the iterative needs assessments. Results: Separate adolescent and parent needs assessments revealed key priorities for youth (e.g., the importance of connecting with other A/ND-GD youth and the benefit of experiencing a range of gender-diverse role models to make gender exploration and/or gender affirmation more concrete) and parents (e.g., the need for A/ND-related supports for their children as well as provision of an A/ND-friendly environment that fosters exploration of a range of gender expressions/options). Integration and translation of youth and parent priorities resulted in 11 novel clinical techniques for this population.Conclusions: With generally high acceptability ratings for each component of the group program, this study presents a community-driven clinical model to support broad care needs and preferences of A/ND-GD adolescents.
Objective: A series of studies report elevated rates of autism and autistic characteristics among gender-diverse youth seeking gender services. Although youth with the co-occurrence present with complex care needs, existing studies have focused on co-occurrence rates. Further, clinical commentaries have emphasized provider-centered interpretations of clinical needs rather than key stakeholder-driven clinical approaches. This study aimed to employ community-based participatory research methodologies to develop a key stakeholder-driven clinical group program.Method: Autistic/neurodiverse gender-diverse (A/ND-GD) youth (N = 31), parents of A/ND-GD youth (N = 46), A/ND-GD self-advocates (N = 10), and expert clinical providers (N = 10) participated in a multi-stage community-based participatory procedure. Needs assessment data were collected repeatedly over time from A/ND-GD youth and their parents as the youth interacted with one another through ongoing clinical groups, the curriculum of which was developed progressively through the iterative needs assessments. Results: Separate adolescent and parent needs assessments revealed key priorities for youth (e.g., the importance of connecting with other A/ND-GD youth and the benefit of experiencing a range of gender-diverse role models to make gender exploration and/or gender affirmation more concrete) and parents (e.g., the need for A/ND-related supports for their children as well as provision of an A/ND-friendly environment that fosters exploration of a range of gender expressions/options). Integration and translation of youth and parent priorities resulted in 11 novel clinical techniques for this population.Conclusions: With generally high acceptability ratings for each component of the group program, this study presents a community-driven clinical model to support broad care needs and preferences of A/ND-GD adolescents.
Authors: E Coleman; A E Radix; W P Bouman; G R Brown; A L C de Vries; M B Deutsch; R Ettner; L Fraser; M Goodman; J Green; A B Hancock; T W Johnson; D H Karasic; G A Knudson; S F Leibowitz; H F L Meyer-Bahlburg; S J Monstrey; J Motmans; L Nahata; T O Nieder; S L Reisner; C Richards; L S Schechter; V Tangpricha; A C Tishelman; M A A Van Trotsenburg; S Winter; K Ducheny; N J Adams; T M Adrián; L R Allen; D Azul; H Bagga; K Başar; D S Bathory; J J Belinky; D R Berg; J U Berli; R O Bluebond-Langner; M-B Bouman; M L Bowers; P J Brassard; J Byrne; L Capitán; C J Cargill; J M Carswell; S C Chang; G Chelvakumar; T Corneil; K B Dalke; G De Cuypere; E de Vries; M Den Heijer; A H Devor; C Dhejne; A D'Marco; E K Edmiston; L Edwards-Leeper; R Ehrbar; D Ehrensaft; J Eisfeld; E Elaut; L Erickson-Schroth; J L Feldman; A D Fisher; M M Garcia; L Gijs; S E Green; B P Hall; T L D Hardy; M S Irwig; L A Jacobs; A C Janssen; K Johnson; D T Klink; B P C Kreukels; L E Kuper; E J Kvach; M A Malouf; R Massey; T Mazur; C McLachlan; S D Morrison; S W Mosser; P M Neira; U Nygren; J M Oates; J Obedin-Maliver; G Pagkalos; J Patton; N Phanuphak; K Rachlin; T Reed; G N Rider; J Ristori; S Robbins-Cherry; S A Roberts; K A Rodriguez-Wallberg; S M Rosenthal; K Sabir; J D Safer; A I Scheim; L J Seal; T J Sehoole; K Spencer; C St Amand; T D Steensma; J F Strang; G B Taylor; K Tilleman; G G T'Sjoen; L N Vala; N M Van Mello; J F Veale; J A Vencill; B Vincent; L M Wesp; M A West; J Arcelus Journal: Int J Transgend Health Date: 2022-09-06
Authors: John F Strang; Sascha E Klomp; Reid Caplan; April D Griffin; Laura G Anthony; Marvel C Harris; Elizabeth K Graham; Megan Knauss; Anna I R van der Miesen Journal: Clin Pract Pediatr Psychol Date: 2019-12
Authors: JaNelle M Ricks; Elizabeth K Arthur; Shanna D Stryker; R Andrew Yockey; Avery M Anderson; Donald Allensworth-Davies Journal: Health Equity Date: 2022-08-29