Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents in Italy: A Qualitative Study on Specialized Centers’ Model of Care and Network

Giovanardi, Guido; Fortunato, Alexandro; Mirabella, Marta; Speranza, Anna Maria; Lingiardi, Vittorio

doi:10.3390/ijerph17249536

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…Thus, a kind of rift has been created between service providers and the informal network, which in the medium and long term may lead to a delegitimization of the services if they fail to innovate by responding to the new needs involving GV children. A significant lack of regulation and organization was also found in both the public and private sectors, a finding also confirmed by another research study (Giovanardi et al, 2020). This has allowed private citizens, parents, and transgender people to organize to compensate for these deficiencies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Promoting the health of gender variant children in Italy: Parents' experience with supportive networks

Iudici

Orczyk

2023

Family Relations

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ObjectiveThe aim of this research was to explore the ways in which Italian parents of gender variant (GV) children construct their experience of seeking medical–psychological support and their experience with local services.BackgroundWe refer to gender variance in minors as the process of identification with a gender, other than the one assigned at birth. Parents taking care of their GV children often search for professional support to better understand them and promote their overall well‐being. International research has shown that parents often meet health professionals who are ill‐equipped to support them.MethodWe interviewed 26 parents in Italy with children who are GV. Through discourse analysis, with a focus on Harré's discursive positioning, we discuss how throughout their experience, parents have turned to information from professionals who were mostly uneducated about gender variance, and therefore, unable to help.ResultsA mostly adequate support was received when the parents eventually turned to specialized services for transgender and GV people; however, the fundamental source of support and empowerment is the informal relational network of services and “gender” families.ConclusionParents' reports show that in Italy, health professionals and services addressing gender variance are highly heterogeneous and patchy, thus necessitating a specific training for professionals on the needs of transgender people.ImplicationsThis study is particularly important in the current context of the medicalization of children who are GV, as it offers valuable insights into the experiences of families navigating the complex and often stigmatized world of gender identity development.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Promoting the health of gender variant children in Italy: Parents' experience with supportive networks

Iudici

Orczyk

2023

Family Relations

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“…In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the number of children and adolescents seeking support for GD and GI [ 3 – 6 ]. However, this increase is likely only apparent and presumably a result of a decrease in social stigma, which is associated with an improvement in knowledge and services [ 31 ].…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gender identity, a fundamental aspect of self-perception, begins to emerge in early childhood and evolves throughout adolescence [ 1 , 2 ]. Recent research indicates a growing number of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) young individuals identifying with a gender different from their assigned one at birth [ 3 – 6 ] Consequently, there's an escalating demand for gender-related care within pediatric healthcare systems. This demographic increasingly seeks assistance from pediatricians, pediatric endocrinologists, and primary care providers for gender-related and general health needs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent gender dysphoria management: position paper from the Italian Academy of Pediatrics, the Italian Society of Pediatrics, the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, the Italian Society of Adolescent Medicine and the Italian Society of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry

Calcaterra,

Tornese,

Zuccotti

et al. 2024

Ital J Pediatr

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Background In response to the imperative need for standardized support for adolescent Gender Dysphoria (GD), the Italian Academy of Pediatrics, in collaboration with the Italian Society of Pediatrics, the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Italian Society of Adolescent Medicine and Italian Society of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry is drafting a position paper. The purpose of this paper is to convey the author's opinion on the topic, offering foundational information on potential aspects of gender-affirming care and emphasizing the care and protection of children and adolescents with GD. Main body Recognizing that adolescents may choose interventions based on their unique needs and goals and understanding that every individual within this group has a distinct trajectory, it is crucial to ensure that each one is welcomed and supported. The approach to managing individuals with GD is a multi-stage process involving a multidisciplinary team throughout all phases. Decisions regarding treatment should be reached collaboratively by healthcare professionals and the family, while considering the unique needs and circumstances of the individual and be guided by scientific evidence rather than biases or ideologies. Politicians and high court judges should address discrimination based on gender identity in legislation and support service development that aligns with the needs of young people. It is essential to establish accredited multidisciplinary centers equipped with the requisite skills and experience to effectively manage adolescents with GD, thereby ensuring the delivery of high-quality care. Conclusion Maintaining an evidence-based approach is essential to safeguard the well-being of transgender and gender diverse adolescents.

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“…According to the SOC [1], the prevalence of GD children and adolescents ranges from 1.2% to 2.7% in health system-based studies and from 2.5% to 8.4% in survey-based studies [1]. These data clearly demonstrate the magnitude of the phenomenon and the increasing need to provide informed and specialized care to this population [10‒12]. Indeed, all TGD youth have special health needs and should benefit from specialized care delivered by clinicians who are informed in matters of gender diversity [8, 9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unmet Needs of Pediatricians in Transgender-Specific Care: Results of a Short-Term Training

Santamaria,

Scandurra,

Mezzalira

et al. 2023

Horm Res Paediatr

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Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate (i) the knowledge about different dimensions of sexual identity in a group of family pediatricians and (ii) the efficacy of a training program to improve knowledge and reduce genderism and heteronormativity. Methods: A pre-post-follow-up study was conducted with 96 Italian pediatricians (48 men and 48 women) who participated in a 6-h training program and divided into 2 sections. The first section was theoretical and focused on the conceptual foundations of sexual identity, the depathologizing approach to gender diversity, and the role of pediatricians as the first contacts of children’s or adolescents’ family. The second part was experiential and included the presentation of a clinical case and the activation of a group reflection on the management of gender-diverse youth. Knowledge about sexual identity, genderism, and heteronormativity was measured. Results: Pre-training questionnaires revealed that the mean score of knowledge about sexual identity was 7.13 ± 3.21. One-way within-subject ANOVA revealed significant effects from pre- to post-training and from pre- to follow-up assessment but not from post-training to follow-up assessment, suggesting that significant changes in the knowledge about sexual identity (F = 39.75, p < 0.001), in personal biases related to genderism (F = 7.46, p < 0.01), and in heteronormative attitudes (F = 44.99, p < 0.001) and behaviors (F = 79.29, p < 0.001) were achieved through the training and maintained at follow-up. Conclusion: These findings indicate the importance of training pediatricians to work with gender-diverse youth and provide them with the best clinical interventions.

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Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents in Italy: A Qualitative Study on Specialized Centers’ Model of Care and Network

Cited by 11 publications

References 78 publications

Promoting the health of gender variant children in Italy: Parents' experience with supportive networks

Promoting the health of gender variant children in Italy: Parents' experience with supportive networks

Adolescent gender dysphoria management: position paper from the Italian Academy of Pediatrics, the Italian Society of Pediatrics, the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, the Italian Society of Adolescent Medicine and the Italian Society of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry

Unmet Needs of Pediatricians in Transgender-Specific Care: Results of a Short-Term Training

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