United States – A research report in the JAMA Pediatrics of August 26 states that the transgender students suffering from depression and anxiety are nearly half as likely to discuss their mental health issues with parents compared to cisgender students. As concluded from the research, trans teens are 74 percent less likely to seek support from their parents, as reported by HealthDay.
Transgender Students’ Support Networks Differ from Cisgender Peers
The study, which analyzed responses from over 92,000 Wisconsin high school students, including more than 3,800 who identified as transgender, also found that trans students seek help from friends 25% less often and from siblings 48% less often compared to their cisgender peers.
Schools: Both a Source of Struggle and Support
Although the research focuses on transport students, and the various forms of subjection they are subjected to such as bullying and feeling outcast, it underlines the importance of school staff. Specifically, lead author Mollie McQuillan, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, stressed the role of schools as safe environments. “We knew that schools can be halls of shame, grounds for victimisation, arenas of bullying for trans students – but now we also know that schools can also be very valuable”, McQuillan said.
Possible Negative Impacts to the Mental Health of Trans Teens
The study also reveals that transgender adolescents are much more likely to experience worsening of mental health than their cisgender counterparts. Trans students are twice as likely to be bullied, 2. 4 times more likely to skip school due to feeling unsafe, and 2.7 times more likely to feel socially excluded at school. Also, they are at least two to three times more prone to develop depression, use self-harm, and attempt suicide, as reported by HealthDay.
Impact of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation on Transgender Youth
McQuillan also raised concerns about the impact of recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation on transgender students, warning that such laws could dismantle the supportive environments schools provide. “In the last five years, anti-LGBTQ+ state bills have dramatically expanded in number,” she noted. “These bills dissolve and prevent school environments in which transgender students can seek and receive support that could save their lives.”
This study underscores the vital role of schools in providing a safe and supportive environment for transgender students, who often face significant mental health challenges and need support from multiple sources.