Gender-diverse teens have more mental health issues than their cis peers, but psych care can help

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-06-22 01:00

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US scientists looked at medical records of 200 adolescents who participated in a two-week acute residential treatment program for psychiatric disorders, including 35 transgender and gender diverse youths, to compare mental health issues between LGBTQI teens and their cis-gendered peers. Compared with the cis-gendered teens, LGBTQI youths were more likely to have developed depression at an earlier age, were more likely to have suicidal thoughts and impulses, were more likely to self-harm, and were more likely to have been traumatised or abused during childhood, the researchers say. Following the program, both groups symptoms of depression and anxiety had improved, and all participants were better at regulating their emotions, they add.