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Child Psychiatry & Human Development
Gepubliceerd in: Child Psychiatry & Human Development 6/2022

19-06-2021 | Original Article

Transgender Youth Executive Functioning: Relationships with Anxiety Symptoms, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Gender-Affirming Medical Treatment Status

Auteurs: John F. Strang, Diane Chen, Eric Nelson, Scott F. Leibowitz, Leena Nahata, Laura G. Anthony, Amber Song, Connor Grannis, Elizabeth Graham, Shane Henise, Eric Vilain, Eleonora Sadikova, Andrew Freeman, Cara Pugliese, Ayesha Khawaja, Tekla Maisashvili, Michael Mancilla, Lauren Kenworthy

Gepubliceerd in: Child Psychiatry & Human Development | Uitgave 6/2022

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Abstract

Executive function (EF) underlies broad health and adaptive outcomes. For transgender youth, navigating gender discernment and gender affirmation demand EF. Yet, factors associated with transgender youth EF are unknown. We investigate hypothesized predictors of EF: over-represented conditions among transgender youth (anxiety and depression symptoms, autism spectrum disorder [ASD]) and gender-affirming care. One-hundred twenty-four transgender 11−21-year-olds participated. Parents/caregivers completed EF and mental health report measures. ASD diagnostics and gender-affirming medication histories were collected. 21 % of non-autistic and 69 % of autistic transgender youth had clinically elevated EF problems. Membership in the gender-affirming hormone treatment group was associated with better EF. ASD, anxiety symptoms, and membership in the long-duration pubertal suppression group were associated with poorer EF. Given the importance of EF skills for multiple outcomes, and the unique and additional EF demands specific to transgender youths’ experiences, EF skill monitoring—and when appropriate, supports—should be considered for transgender youth.
vorige artikel Predictors of Parent Behavioral Engagement in Youth Suicide Discharge Recommendations: Implications for Family-Centered Crisis Interventions
volgende artikel Longitudinal Associations between Parental Warmth, Harsh Discipline, Child Emotion Regulation, and ODD Dimensions
Voetnoten
1
This manuscript uses “Autism Spectrum Disorder” (“ASD”) to describe the clinical diagnosis of autism. When referring to people, identity-first language (i.e., “autistic youth”) is used in accordance with calls from autistic self-advocacy organizations [33, 34] and to reflect the understanding of autism as a component of human neurodiversity [35].
 
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Metagegevens
Titel
Transgender Youth Executive Functioning: Relationships with Anxiety Symptoms, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Gender-Affirming Medical Treatment Status
Auteurs
John F. Strang
Diane Chen
Eric Nelson
Scott F. Leibowitz
Leena Nahata
Laura G. Anthony
Amber Song
Connor Grannis
Elizabeth Graham
Shane Henise
Eric Vilain
Eleonora Sadikova
Andrew Freeman
Cara Pugliese
Ayesha Khawaja
Tekla Maisashvili
Michael Mancilla
Lauren Kenworthy
Publicatiedatum
19-06-2021
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Child Psychiatry & Human Development / Uitgave 6/2022
Print ISSN: 0009-398X
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-3327
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01195-6

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