Parents Health Care Experiences of a Child or Adolescent with Gender Incongruence and Gender Dysphoria: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

In general, little is known about the experiences of parents of a transgender child or adolescent when seeking health care services. In addition, there is little research on how parents interact with their child in the health care system. International studies show high vulnerability and psychological distress among those children and adolescents who assign themselves to a gender other than the one assigned at birth. Parental support represents a protective factor related to mental health. The aim of this study is to investigate parental interaction processes in medical-psychological treatment settings. For this purpose, guided qualitative interviews were conducted throughout Germany with twelve fathers and mothers of transgender children/adolescents. Most parents faced a number of challenges and barriers to their children's health care. A lack of knowledge and insecurities on the part of the health care practitioners up to psychopathologization of identity were ascertainable. At the same time, accepting, affectionate and supportive encounters were evident from the reports. Furthermore, it was found that the parents took an essential protective and supportive stance towards their children in the treatments. For improved health care, sensitization and education regarding gender variance in childhood and adolescence is necessary for health care practitioners in the health care system. The study can contribute to expanding the scientific discourse on life biographies of young trans* people and their parents.