Parents of ROGD Kids collected data from the parents of children with transgender ideation (aka ROGD). This data has been analyzed and presented in a paper published in Archives of Sexual Behavior titled: Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1655 Possible Cases. This is an important paper so we have created an Accessible Synopsis.
Accessible Synopsis
Paper co-author Dr Michael Bailey highlights:
An especially important predictor of transition was whether a family had received a referral for a gender specialist. Of those who had received a referral, 73% of the youths had socially transitioned, compared with 49% who had not received a referral.
Professor Michael Bailey
Introduction
The phenomenon of rapid onset gender dysphoria (ROGD) is a relatively recent development that describes a sudden increase in gender dysphoria among adolescents and young adults, particularly girls. The authors of this paper sought to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of ROGD by conducting an online survey of parents who reported that their children experienced this condition.
Method
The authors recruited participants through social media, email lists, and personal contacts. To be eligible, participants had to be the parent of a child who experienced ROGD, which was defined as a sudden and intense desire to identify as the opposite gender that was not present before puberty. The survey consisted of 90 items that assessed the characteristics of the children, their social and developmental histories, their mental health, and the nature of their gender dysphoria. The authors received responses from 4,194 participants, but after removing incomplete and duplicate surveys, they analyzed data from 1,655 participants.
Results
The majority of the children reported in the survey were female (84%), with an average age of 16.4 years. The authors found that 61% of the children had been diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disability, such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, the authors reported that 63% of the children had “social influences” that might have contributed to their gender dysphoria, such as exposure to social media and friends who identified as transgender. The authors also noted that 68% of the children reported wanting to undergo medical interventions, such as hormone therapy and surgery, to transition to the opposite gender.
Discussion
The authors conclude that their findings suggest that ROGD is a distinct and relatively common phenomenon that warrants further study. They suggest that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and social influences among the children in their survey supports the idea that ROGD may be a symptom of an underlying mental health condition or the result of social contagion. The authors recommend that healthcare providers approach ROGD with caution and thoroughly evaluate children who express a sudden desire to transition.
Limitations
The study has several limitations that should be noted. The survey relied on self-reported data from parents, which may be subject to bias and inaccuracies. Additionally, the authors note that their sample was not representative of the general population and may be biased towards parents who are concerned about their children’s gender dysphoria. The authors also acknowledge that the survey did not assess the long-term outcomes of ROGD or the effectiveness of different treatments.
Conclusion
The authors of this paper sought to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of rapid onset gender dysphoria (ROGD) by conducting an online survey of parents who reported that their children experienced this condition. The survey found that the majority of the children reported were female and had been diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disability. Additionally, the authors noted that social influences, such as exposure to social media and friends who identified as transgender, may contribute to the development of ROGD. The authors recommend that healthcare providers approach ROGD with caution and carefully evaluate children who express a sudden desire to transition.
Further research is needed to better understand the causes and outcomes of ROGD.
Reference
Diaz, S., Bailey, J.M. Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1655 Possible Cases. Arch Sex Behav (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02576-9