Summary

This study surveyed 78 American young adults, mostly born female, who had identified as trans, often taking medical steps, and later stopped. They reported high rates of mental health diagnoses, many from before they first identified as trans. Most said they had first mistaken mental health problems or trauma for gender distress. Their reasons for detransitioning were mostly internal, such as their own changing thinking, rather than pressure from family or discrimination. Most reported much less gender distress and self-harm, and feeling much better about life, after detransitioning. The authors conclude that for some people, detransition is both possible and helpful. But these were volunteers looking back once on their own experience. The study describes this group well, but cannot show how common detransition is, or that detransitioning caused the improvements.

Key findings

• Van 78 mensen waren er 71 (91%) als vrouw geboren; gemiddeld identificeerden ze zich voor het eerst op 17-jarige leeftijd als trans en deden ze dat ongeveer 5 jaar.
• De meesten (83%) hadden sociale transitiestappen gezet en 68% medische stappen: 40% alleen hormonen, 23% hormonen en operatie, en 5% alleen operatie.
• Terugkijkend herinnerde minder dan 17% zich genderklachten in de kindertijd die aan de huidige diagnose voldeden, terwijl 53% vond dat 'rapid-onset gender dysphoria' (genderklachten die plotseling in de tienerjaren verschijnen) hen beschreef.
• Psychische problemen kwamen veel voor: 79% had ooit zichzelf beschadigd, waaronder 71% voordat, 64% terwijl en 23% nadat ze zich als trans identificeerden.
• De meest genoemde reden om zich voor het eerst als trans te identificeren was psychische problemen of reacties op trauma aanzien voor genderklachten; redenen om te stoppen waren vaker innerlijk dan druk van buitenaf.
• Van degenen die cross-sex hormonen kregen, vond 66,7% dat ze niet goed over de risico's waren geïnformeerd, en slechts één persoon zei dat hem over andere opties was verteld.
• Slechts 27,1% van alle deelnemers vertelde de arts die hun transitie begeleidde dat ze waren gedetransitioneerd.
• De auteurs geven toe dat hun studie niet kan laten zien hoe vaak detransitie voorkomt of wat het voorspelt.

Abstract

Persons who have renounced a prior transgender identification, often after some degree of social and medical transition, are increasingly visible. We recruited 78 US individuals ages 18-33 years who previously identified as transgender and had stopped identifying as transgender at least six months prior. On average, participants first identified as transgender at 17.1 years of age and had done so for 5.4 years at the time of their participation. Most (83%) participants had taken several steps toward social transition and 68% had taken at least one medical step. By retrospective reports, fewer than 17% of participants met DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Gender Dysphoria in Childhood. In contrast, 53% of participants believed that "rapid-onset gender dysphoria" applied to them. Participants reported a high rate of psychiatric diagnoses, with many of these prior to trans-identification. Most participants (N = 71, 91%) were natal females. Females (43%) were more likely than males (0%) to be exclusively homosexual. Participants reported that their psychological health had improved dramatically since detransi- tion/desistance, with marked decreases in self-harm and gender dysphoria and marked increases in flourishing. The most common reason given for initial trans-identification was confusing mental health issues or reactions to trauma for gender dysphoria. Reasons for detransition were more likely to reflect internal changes (e.g., the participants' own thought processes) than external pressures (e.g., pressure from family). Results suggest that, for some transgender individuals, detransition is both possible and beneficial.

Conclusion

We surveyed a sample of young adults who previously identified as transgender but had detransitioned or desisted. Most participants were born female. Mental health issues, including prior diagnoses and a history of self-harm, were especially common. A history of gender dysphoria during childhood was reported by a nontrivial minority of participants. A slight majority believed their histories were consistent with rapid-onset gender dysphoria. Factors most associated with detransition were internal factors, reflecting psychological change, rather than external factors, such as family or social pressure. Detransitioned participants reported that they had become much less gender dysphoric, and much happier, than they were during their period of trans-identification.