Gender Identity Development Research Articles

Do we have the right to call ourselves an inclusive university? Untold stories of queer students at a rural university in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Ruraqueer students constantly experience higher levels of victimization, and negative university experiences than their urban and suburban peers. Further, rural students have limited access to university resources while, queer events and workshops related to queer community, as well as university-based ongoing activities to support positive sexuality and gender identity development are scanty. This has been worsened by extant research written from an ‘outsider’ perspective lacking breadth and depth of experiences of queer students especially in rural universities from an African perspective. Anchored on a qualitative approach using purposive sampling, in depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in this study with eight under and postgraduate students who identified as queer. Emerging themes show how rurality intersects with actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics of queer students in university spaces. Findings challenge the homogenization of university residencies; non-inclusive LGBTQ curricular; university environment that remains homophobic and how traditional, cultural and societal norms contribute to queer students sense of belonging. Implications suggest inclusive teaching and learning and ongoing awareness programmes that acknowledge diversity and enhance visibility of students with intersecting marginalized identities.

Clocks, Mirrors, Plants: Processes of Gender Shifts Among Adults During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic created social disruptions and catalyzed gender shifts for some individuals. The Gender Identity Development Framework describes the domains of gender and processes by which individuals develop their gender identity. We examine this framework’s elements among adults in North Carolina who reported gender identity changes during the pandemic. We conducted 25 photo-elicitation interviews in which interviews were prompted by participants’ photographs. Using content and thematic analyses, our team analyzed both photos and interviews. We found media, self-reflection, and feedback to be major elements of navigating one’s gender identity shifts that were affected by the pandemic. More pandemic-specific components included the prevalence of Zoom and remote work, more time to oneself, and masks. Our research highlights key themes and elements of gender identity development during the pandemic.

“Walking between the raindrops”: The hybrid and Intersecting Identities of Arab women with a PhD in Israel

This study examines Palestinian-Arab women with a PhD in Israel. Arabs represent about one-fifth of the country’s population, and despite significant modernization, Arab society remains largely conservative. The study relies on gender and ethnic identity development theories, as well as intersectionality theory. Based on interviews with Arab women who combine an academic career with family life, the findings highlight the barriers they have overcome, as well as opportunities that have promoted their career. It concludes that despite barriers that impede women’s progress, particularly in conservative societies, Arab women academics have realized their ambitions and become role models.

Social media use and experiences among transgender and gender diverse adolescents

Objectives: For transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adolescents, the internet and social media have several risks and benefits. The present study aims at assessing how and for which purposes TGD adolescents use the internet and social media and how often they experience support compared to cyberbullying online. Methods: The sample comprised 114 TGD adolescents diagnosed with gender dysphoria who attended a Gender Identity Service for children and adolescents (Hamburg GIS). Internet and social media use and experiences were assessed using modified items from a German representative study and self-constructed items relating to TGD-specific online experiences. Frequencies of internet/social media use and various online experiences were analyzed and compared to data from the German general population. Results: Compared to peers from the general population, TGD adolescents reported similar offline and online activities and spent similarly long time online (internet: M = 4.16 h, social media: M = 2.84 h). All TGD adolescents sought TGD-specific information online. TGD adolescents used the internet to experiment with their gender identity (60%), and for the purpose of their coming out (31%) and their social transition (88%). About half of the sample each reported either online support (45%) and/or cyberbullying (48%). Conclusions: While TGD adolescents used the internet and social media for similar purposes as peers from the general population, they also used the internet and social media to gain TGD-specific information and for gender identity expression and exploration. They reported both positive and negative experiences online, calling for future studies investigating how online experiences affect TGD adolescents’ mental health and gender identity development.

Hair Messages: A Context for Exploring Racial Socialization Among African American Males

Racial socialization is a multidimensional process that is critical to the social development of African American boys and men. Examining messages that may promote Black male racial socialization can provide insight into how race and gender identity development occur. This study explored how racial socialization is illustrated through recollected hair stories of African American men. A qualitative thematic analysis was utilized to examine the narrative data from 29 self-identified Black men. Three themes of racial socialization emerged: cultural socialization, negative messages, and self-worth messages, which were associated with experiences of barbershop traditions, “good hair” comments, and stories of hair autonomies, respectively. The findings support existing literature on gendered racial socialization and aim to identify hair messages as necessary variables in examining race and gender identity development in African American boys and men.

Fashioning hate: Driving the runway of desire

AbstractSexist and homophobic attitudes are an individual's expression of the dominant sociocultural position which endorses sexism and anti‐homosexuality. We contend that misogyny and homophobia are pathological symptoms representing the internalization of these malignant social values. First, we explain that homosexuality (and other non‐binary identities), though previously experiencing widespread condemnation, are not and never were mental disorders. Instead, it is homophobia ‐ the fear of homosexuality—that reflects psychopathology and, ultimately, prejudice. We argue that these beliefs, in both straight and gay men, are related to fear and anxiety about one's own projected and gendered aggression. We maintain that they reflect the unsuccessful and incomplete resolution of the normative conflicts met during gender identity development. Essential to all healthy gender identity development is the childhood experience of attuned and accepting mirroring of the child by the parents and the culture. Without this regular experience of mutuality, recognition, and approval, especially regarding their most basic gender identity, children who are at risk develop ego‐syntonic misogynistic and homophobic beliefs. We include a case illustration of a gay‐identified man who was wounded and traumatized by homophobia and uses the concept and experience of homophobia as a defense.

Exploring navigation of gender in a sample of clinically referred young people attending the gender identity development service

BackgroundGender-diverse young people experience a cisnormative world and are subject to unique minority stressors, which have been found to contribute to adverse mental health. This research aims to understand the social and personal context unique to gender-diverse people that young people navigate prior to attending specialised services.MethodsThe baseline measure of a newly developed questionnaire, the GIDS Gender Questionnaire (GIDS-GQ), was sent to all young people (or caregivers for those aged under 12) attending the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). Eighty-four young people and caregivers completed the questionnaire, with eighty-one included in the final sample (M = 15.77 years, SD = 1.83, range = 9–17; assigned female at birth = 72, assigned male at birth = 9). Questionnaires were emailed to participants via an online survey between one and three appointments with the Service. Data were collected between April 2021 and February 2022.ResultsAll young people had initiated a social transition, with 75.3% categorised as fully socially transitioned. More young people reported experiencing transphobic bullying (64.2%) and a lack of acceptance of their gender identity (85.1%) in the past (lifetime) than in the 6 months prior to attending the service (transphobic bullying: 12.3%; non-acceptance: 49.4%). 94.5% of the sample reported disliked body parts, most commonly breasts (80.8%), genitals (37%), and hips (31.5%). Participants most commonly reported a decrease in their mood (61.25%) and most areas of social connectedness.ConclusionsThe majority of this sample had socially transitioned, were supported in their identification, and had experienced less transphobic bullying and non-acceptance prior to commencing services. However, young people continued to dislike their bodies, and experience low mood and social connectedness. Future research is needed to understand how clinical support can help reduce the impact of these external/distal minority stressors by promoting social connectedness, incorporating such learnings into clinical practice and subsequent policy in clinical work with gender-diverse young people.

Culture and gender identity development in children

Culture and gender identity development in children

The Transformation of the Character Einar Wegener to A Transgender Woman in the Film ‘The Danish Girl’: A Psychological Point of View

This present work aimed to determine the process of transforming one’s identity from a man to a woman when one must overcome obstacles in a real-life condition depicted in the film The Danish Girl. It is based on Freud’s theory about the human psychological level, with the addition of Queer Theory in completing this research. This descriptive qualitative research obtained data source from the biographical film The Danish Girl directed by Tom Hopper, released in 2015. The subject studied is limited on the main character analysis, who later became Transgender and changed his name to Lili Elbe. In this case, this research focuses on changing the character of a man to a woman in a film and also the limitation used to examine this study is to pay attention to the psychological point of view by using and applying two theories as an approach to reviewing this research. Thus, based on the data, it was discovered there were 39 scenes of Einar transforming into transgender, of which 27 scenes represented ID, 7 represented EGO and 5 scenes were SUPEREGO. The objective of this study are expected to enrich issues related to the development of the human psyche. The researcher hoped that the result of this study also could enrich the next researcher’s knowledge about the psychological problem, especially about The Transformation of the Characters Einar Wegener to Transgender Women. In conclusion, Einar's transformation does not necessarily affect what is inside of him, but everything proceeds according to the time before he becomes a Transgender. The research opens up avenues for further exploration and analysis in the field of transgender studies, gender identity, and psychological development. It encourages future researchers to delve deeper into the topic and conduct more comprehensive studies on the representation of transgender individuals in various media forms.

Indoor Tanning among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents and Adults: Results from the 2020 Pennsylvania LGBT Health Needs Assessment.

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations include individuals whose sexual orientation, gender identity, or reproductive development is characterized by nonbinary sexual constructs (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals). Previous research suggests that some SGM populations have higher rates of skin cancer. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of diverse SGM identities with indoor tanning, a risk factor for skin cancer, while exploring other relevant co-occurring risk factors. A secondary analysis was performed on the 2020 LGBT Health Needs Assessment collected by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Measures included sexual orientation, gender identity, healthcare utilization, and cancer risk factors. Cisgender SGM men are more likely to use indoor tanning devices (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.31-2.44) compared to other SGM subpopulations independent of sexual orientation. Indoor tanning was also associated with alcohol (aOR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.50-2.51) and tobacco use (aOR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.21-2.21). Findings suggest that targeted screening for skin cancer risk behaviors could accompany standard tobacco and alcohol screenings in clinical practice.

A Study on Exploring the Process of Transwomen's Gender Identity Development and its Relevant Experiences

<p>本研究聚焦跨性別族群重要之性別認同議題進行深究，以釐清其認同發展歷程與相關經驗。共14位跨性別女性（年齡為27至51歲；平均33.14歲）參與研究訪談。質性分析結果顯示，跨性別女性之性別認同發展歷程分為「性別自在期」、「性別壓迫期」、「性別朦朧期」、「性別蛻變期」及「性別行動期」五階段，這些階段並非線性前進，可能出現反覆或有個別差異。跨性別者經歷從不安到接受自我性別認同的歷程，亦是社會將多元性別議題從問題化到正常化的過程。就此，本研究擴增對跨性別女性在性別認同發展及社會角色轉換之理解，提出完善跨性別者心理健康服務之建議，以期能深化專業服務品質，建構多元性別友善之政策。</p> <p> </p><p>Since transgender people do not match or fulfill the gender framework regulated by traditional society, they usually face immense stigma and discrimination from others. This may result in some transgender people concealing and hiding their self-gender identity and cutting off their relations with others, thereby leading to mental health problems. In this vein, how professionals assist transgender people in facing these challenges and adapting to society during the process of self-gender identity development is an important issue that warrants further attention. However, previous studies have indicated that counselors generally have limited understanding of transgender people and their conditions, and hence, usually find it difficult to work with them during the counseling process. For counseling to become a useful resource for transgender people and for counselors to provide a suitable professional service, they need to enhance their understanding of transgender experiences and issues related to the identity development of transgender people. </p> <p>This study explored the issue of transwomen’s gender identity development. A total of 14 transwomen (average age, 33.14 years, ranging from 27-51 years) participated in the interviews to clarify the development process of transwomen’s gender identity and their relevant experiences. Through analysis, the results of this study revealed that the process of transwomen’s gender identity development consists of five stages: being gender-free, gender oppression, gender obscurity, gender metamorphosis, and gender action. As indicated in the interviews, during the gender-free stage, which occurred during childhood, interviewees and their family members could accept gender disposition, appearance, and performance. Even though some interviewees complained or felt confused about their male genital organs, their family members or relatives usually took no offense at a child’s babble and let nature take its course. During the stage of gender oppression, which occurred during school age, interviewees started feeling oppressed by gender-stereotyped rules and restrictions on the role of gender in society. Some of them also faced problems such as school bullying, discrimination, or being edged out by their peers. Some interviewees adopted strategies, such as seeking help from their peers, being prominent in academic performance, or disguising and hiding their feminine features to cope with these problems. Interviewees usually experienced the stage of being gender obscure in adolescence with the development of sexual desires. Due to the lack of suitable gender (or sex) education, some of them were unable to distinguish the concept of gender identity from gender orientation. Moreover, self-doubts and discrimination from others may affected their mental health. However, they still had deeply hidden desires, and so tried on female clothes in secret. The stage of gender metamorphosis occurred during their university years or at the time of entering the workforce. At this stage, interviewees could mentally and physically distance themselves from their previous experiences of discrimination and oppression. Through engagement in courses, communities, and the initiative on same-sex marriage, interviewees were better able to explore themselves and the transgender issue, have trials on changes in outfits and appearance, and integrate their self-gender identity. The final stage is called “gender action.” Interviewees’ outfits and behaviors were more explicitly female-oriented during this stage, which pushed their sex to be more consistent with their gender life experiences. They may even have had treatments for sex reversal, such as hormone therapy or medical surgery. In other words, they may have tried to accomplish the social or medical transition. Notably, the process of a transgender person’s development of gender identity is not always linear. Transgender people may reexperience certain stages, and differences exist between individuals in terms of the development process. In summary, the results of this study could be a useful reference for counselors to gain a better understanding of issues related to transwomen’s gender identity. This may deepen the quality of counseling services offered to transgender clients and thus construct a gender-friendly counseling environment.</p> <p> </p>

How Teacher’s Gender Influence Student’s Gender Identity in Early Childhood

The development of gender identity in early childhood will influence how they accept their gender. Someone who confuses about their gender would be at risk to experience gender dysphoria. This study aimed to determine differences in gender identity among early childhood based on the presence of male and female teachers. The study used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional study design. Data was collected using gender identity questionnaires from April until August 2023. The sample was 200 students (95 male; 105 female) in 23 preschool institutions (5.83 years old; SD: 0.50) in 5 regencies in East Java. Data from the two groups sample showed a difference in average scores (9.15 for children who had two gender teachers and 7.57 who only had one gender teacher). The results of statistical analysis using the Mann-Whitney U-Test showed a significance value of 0.00. The result shows significant differences in gender identity between the two groups. It shows the importance of the existence of male and female teachers in early childhood education because both have important complementary roles, especially for the children's gender identity. Researchers suggest schools, the government, or other policymakers provide regulations for the presence of male teachers in early childhood education institutions.
 Keywords: early childhood; gender identity; teacher gender

Is Social Gender Transition Associated with Mental Health Status in Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria?

Social gender transition is an increasingly accepted intervention for gender variant children and adolescents. To date, there is scant literature comparing the mental health of children and adolescents diagnosed with gender dysphoria who have socially transitioned versus those who are still living in their birth-assigned gender. We examined the mental health of children and adolescents referred to the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), a specialist clinic in London, UK, who had socially transitioned (i.e., were living in their affirmed gender and/or had changed their name) versus those who had not socially transitioned. Referrals to the GIDS were aged 4–17 years. We assessed mental health correlates of living in one’s affirmed gender among 288 children and adolescents (208 birth-assigned female; 210 socially transitioned) and of name change in 357 children and adolescents (253 birth-assigned female; 214 name change). The presence or absence of mood and anxiety difficulties and past suicide attempts were clinician rated. Living in role and name change were more prevalent in birth-assigned females versus birth-assigned males. Overall, there were no significant effects of social transition or name change on mental health status. These findings identify the need for more research to understand how social transition influences mental health, including longitudinal studies that allow for more confident inferences to be made regarding the relationship between social transition and mental health in young people with gender dysphoria.

Etiology of gender incongruence and its levels of evidence: A scoping review protocol.

Gender Incongruence refers to the discordance between biological sex and gender identity. Although it is possible to find literature reviews about the etiology of Gender Incongruence, almost all of these correspond to non-systematic narrative reviews, so they do not make explicit the methodology used in the collection and analysis of sources, even less its levels of evidence. In order to remedy this, we will conduct a scoping review to answer the question: what are the factors associated with gender incongruence and what level of evidence is there for each factor in the scientific literature? We will conduct a scoping review according to the methodology specified in the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis (Chapter 11) and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Four databases will be reviewed to identify papers that match our search criteria, followed by a screening of titles and abstracts, the complete reading of those articles that have not been excluded, and the coding of these using the data extraction instrument developed for this research (see S1 Appendix). Data extracted will be analyzed in terms of frequency counts of factors, types of factors and levels of evidence for each factor. Results will be presented in tabular or diagrammatic forms supported by a narrative summary. The present review will help to map the factors associated with incongruence between biological sex and gender identity, specifying their levels of evidence. This evidence-based knowledge will be useful for clinicians evaluating gender incongruence, especially given that international guidelines recommend careful assessment of factors that may interfere with the clarity of gender identity development and decision making.

“You’re trying to put yourself in boxes, which doesn’t work”: Exploring non-binary youth’s gender identity development using feminist relational discourse analysis

ABSTRACT There are growing numbers of non-binary youth in the U.K. with increasing representation, whilst simultaneously forms of gender diversity are being heavily regulated. Non-binary youth face unique challenges regarding their gender development due to age-based expectations for single and stable identities, and the gender binary. This article explores the regulation of gender identity borders and how non-binary youth navigate these. Ten non-binary youth living in the U.K. aged 16–21 years old took part in semi-structured individual interviews. Feminist Relational Discourse Analysis was used to explore forms of regulation through discourse analysis whilst also tracing the personal experiences through the discursive realms by constructing I poems. The analysis highlights how a non-binary gender provides freedom from the gender binary for identity development and understanding of oneself in context. However, the freedom provided by non-binary identities is precarious and risks being regulated by individualism and attempts to shame, which cause youth to censor their gender diversities. The research contributes to non-binary theory by focusing on the intersection of age to highlight the discursive realms and voiced experiences of non-binary identity development.

Like Parent, like Child: General and Specific Associations Between Parents’ and Children’s Binary Gender Identity in a Gender Egalitarian Context

There is ample scientific evidence for the importance of parental gender socialization in children’s binary gender development. Surprisingly, little is known about the role of parents’ own gender identity in the binary gender identity development of their children. Therefore, the present study investigated the association between parents’ and children’s binary gender identity (i.e., similarity to same- and other-gender individuals) in a sample of 142 Dutch families with a child between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. The Dutch context is characterized by relatively high gender equality. Both parents and their children answered questions about their similarity to same-gender and other-gender individuals. Generalized estimating equations revealed that parents’ same-gender similarity and parents’ other-gender similarity were positively associated with their children’s same- and other-gender-similarity, respectively. In addition, more other-gender similarity in parents was associated with less same-gender similarity in girls, but more same-gender similarity in boys. Parents who reported high similarity with both genders were more likely to have children who also reported higher similarity with both genders. These findings indicate that parents’ own binary gender identity is related in general and specific ways to their children’s binary gender identity development. Parents should be made aware of their role in children’s binary gender identity development. Yet, more research on different types of gender identity in parents and their children is necessary.

Temperament and Character among mothers of individuals with gender dysphoria: a case-control study

IntroductionParents of individuals with gender dysphoria may experience distress when dealing with their child’s condition, and how they react can have a significant effect on their own as well as their child’s mental health.ObjectivesIn this study, we aimed to explore the personality traits among mothers of individuals with gender dysphoria in comparison to the mothers of individuals with cis-gender identity by utilizing the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) tool.MethodsWe enrolled 27 mothers of GD individuals who had obtained licenses for gender affirmation surgery and 28 mothers of cisgender controls for this case-control study. Personality traits were measured by a validated Farsi version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) tool.ResultsThe mean±standard deviation age of mothers with GD children and controls was 53.95±9.44 and 53.00±7.28 years, respectively. 20 of the GD children were born with the female sex. Overall, TCI scores were statistically different between the two groups (p=0.03); however, this difference was only observed among Character scores (p=0.01) and was not significant in Temperament scores (p=0.33). We found significantly higher mean Cooperativeness (CO) and Self-Transcendence (ST) scores in the case group (p=0.007 and 0.031, respectively). We also identified significantly more individuals with a high CO score amongst mothers of GD individuals (Odds Ratio: 5.0, 95% Confidence Interval 1.2-21.0, p=0.028).characteristicsGroupMeanStd. DeviationP-valueCOGDControl20.296317.67862.283974.295160.007SDGDControl16.740715.75003.492776.251670.474STGDControl9.74078.00002.981902.841490.031HAGDControl7.77786.71434.500714.512180.386NSGDControl7.03707.21432.993343.403240.839PGDControl3.59263.28571.118352.070200.499RDGDControl8.85197.78572.567601.931360.087ConclusionsBy showing more mature, understanding, and kind personalities, the mothers of GD cases who have obtained licenses for gender affirmation surgery, have likely provided a positive atmosphere for the gender identity development and transition of their children. Additionally, their personalities were possibly better suited to deal with their child’s condition through having better compensatory adaptive traits.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Promoting Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Research

AbstractBackgroundIt is estimated that more than three million older adults aged 60+ in the U.S. identify as a sexual and gender minority (SGM) or lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender or gender non‐binary, queer, intersex, asexual, and people with a gender identity, gender expression, or reproductive development that varies from traditional, societal, cultural, or physiological norms. SGM adults experience health disparities and many of these health disparities are risk factors for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). These risk factors include higher rates of subjective cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and depression compared to non‐SGM adults.MethodWe will describe community‐based participatory research approaches for engaging and recruiting SGM older adults into aging and ADRD research. We will describe best practices for collecting gender identity, sex assigned at birth, and sexual orientation. We highlight ways of reshaping healthcare practices and the broader system changes that are needed to ensure SGM people living with ADRD and their families (chosen and/or biological), receive culturally appropriate, person‐centered, and equitable care.ResultHistorical and ongoing social, structural, and institutional factors (stigma; oppression, discrimination; social exclusion; maltreatment by the healthcare system, healthcare professionals, and researchers) have created barriers for inclusion of SGM communities in health research and this may also extend to aging and ADRD research. We discuss how The RISE (Research Inclusion Supports Equity) Study is establishing a mutual commitment with SGM communities by building trust and on existing strengths, resources, and relationships within SGM communities are all necessary to promote SGM engagement and inclusion in research.ConclusionSGM persons living with ADRD and their care partners, as well as SGM ADRD caregivers in general are underrepresented in aging and ADRD research. These communities also experience structural, social, and financial barriers in accessing aging and healthcare services. Thus, there is a critical need for training and future research. We recommend that researchers and clinicians help advance equitable practices for SGM inclusion in research as it is necessary to improve the health and care of SGM communities affected by ADRD globally.

Becoming aware of your gender and sexual identity: Narrative experiences, intersecting identities, and healthcare implications

Eleven self-identified gay/lesbian individuals were interviewed about the age at which they became aware of their gender and sexual identity and whether they recalled specific life events associated with that awareness. Thematic analyses focused on individuals who recalled a specific age and event in early childhood in which they became aware of their gender and sexual identity versus individuals who did not recall a specific age tied to their awareness of their sexual and gender identities. Results showed that five participants gave non-specific ages (e.g., “always” and “at an early age”) when their gender identity became particularly salient, the remaining 6 participants reported a specific age and typically a specific event when their gender identity became particularly salient. Findings are discussed in the context of intersectionality, gender and sexual identity development, and the coming out process. Findings suggest that experiences related to gender identity and expression and sexual orientation are non-linear processes that vary widely, and that there is no one “master narrative”. Implications for mental health and the need for ongoing support services are also highlighted.

Thinking Time, Shifting Goalposts and Ticking Time Bombs: Experiences of Waiting on the Gender Identity Development Service Waiting List.

LOGiC-Q is a prospective longitudinal qualitative study that explores the experiences of children and young people, and their families, who have been referred to the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) in the UK. This paper describes the experiences of children and young people and their parents while they are on the waiting list to be seen. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 39 families who had been referred to GIDS and were waiting for their first appointment with the service. Both parent and child/young person were interviewed. Analysis of the anonymised interview transcripts was informed by both narrative and thematic approaches, and three predominant narratives around waiting were identified: 1. Positive experiences attached to waiting; 2. Feelings of distress and stuckness; 3. Suggestions for support while waiting. Findings from this study indicate variations in how waiting is experienced depending on the age of the child, and how distressed their body makes them feel. Young people and their parents offered suggestions for how the service could support families on the waiting list. These suggestions related primarily to ways of checking in and providing reassurance that they were at least still on the list as well as ideas about how to make the wait less distressing, rather than necessarily making the wait shorter, which was more spoken about in terms of an ideal rather than a realistic option.