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Research

GENTLE: The GENder identiTy Longitudinal Experience

Penelope Strauss BA, MPH, PhD Research Fellow in Youth Suicide Prevention 08 6319 1297 Penelope.strauss@thekids.org.au Research Fellow in Youth

Research

LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Practice Training for Medical and Psychology Students

This research aims to improve the mental health of LGBTQIA+ individuals through enhanced inclusive practice training for trainee health professionals.

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Twenty-five is not a neurobiologically determined age of maturity for gender-affirming medical decision-making

Among the increasing threats to the healthcare of transgender and gender-diverse people globally, are efforts to deny gender-affirming medical care to people under age 25 typically justified by stating that the human brain is not developed until the mid-to-late 20's. Thus, this line of reasoning states young adults are not sufficiently mature to be responsible for autonomous healthcare decision-making— at least in regard to gender-affirming care.

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Plasma testosterone concentration is correlated with circulating immune cell abundance in transgender young people on gender-affirming hormone treatment

Sex hormones, such as oestrogen and testosterone, display significant immune modulatory properties. This is highly relevant for transgender (trans) people who undergo gender-affirming hormone (GAH) treatment. However, only a limited number of studies have evaluated the immunological impact of GAH treatments, and almost none have assessed the impact in trans young people.

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E-cigarette use among gender and sexuality diverse (LGBTQA+) adolescents in Australia: The case for LGBTQA+ affirmative harm reduction

This study aimed to provide a first-ever comprehensive epidemiology of vaping behaviours among Australian gender and sexuality diverse (LGBTQA+) youth.

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Yarning with a remote Aboriginal community about the next steps for achieving healthy skin

Skin health is widely recognised as being important for overall good health and well-being, yet the burden of skin infections in remote Aboriginal communities remains high. This project aimed to explore if virtual support for skin health could be a strategy to reduce community barriers to skin health engagement. 

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Parents’ Disclosure of Their Child’s Health and Neurodevelopmental Conditions: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Metasynthesis

Parents of children with physical/mental health and/or neurodevelopmental conditions often need to make disclosure decisions for their child. Disclosure can bring benefits (e.g., support) but can also risk harm (e.g., stigma). This systematic review aimed to consolidate research regarding parents' disclosure experiences to better understand how to support parents during this process.

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Predicting NSSI among trans young people: the role of transphobic experiences, body image, and gender dysphoria

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is particularly common among trans young people. NSSI is most commonly used as an emotion regulation strategy, which may explain the high prevalence of the behavior among trans young people, who often experience unique stressors. In the current study we test an application of the Pantheoretical Framework of Dehumanization, in which transphobic experiences, body surveillance, body dissatisfaction, and gender dysphoria are all theorized to predict NSSI.

Research

Mental health assessment of transgender youth - Should standardised psychological measures be scored by norms of birth-registered sex?

Standardised psychometric measures are used in mental health care and research settings to identify risk, assist diagnosis, and assess symptom severity. Standardised scoring of these measures involves transforming respondents' raw scores using binary sex norms. However, scoring manuals offer no guidance as to appropriate scoring methods for trans and non-binary respondents.