Understanding experiences of adolescents with a gender-variant sibling

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A qualitative study seeking to understand the experiences of adolescent children (aged 12-18 years) who have a teenage gender variant sibling

• IRAS ID

  171284

• Contact name

  Nicola Wheeler

• Contact email

  Nicola.Wheeler@bcpft.nhs.uk

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 3 months, 11 days

• Research summary

  Gender dysphoria in children and adolescents is the experience that their biological sex is inconsistent with their gender identification. Children and adolescents can express a strong desire to be the other gender e.g. wearing clothing associated with that gender and playing with stereotypical toys. The distress associated with biological sex characteristics and pubertal changes means this can be a very difficult time (Di Ceglie, 1998). The Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) is the U.K. specialist service supporting children adolescents with gender dysphoria and their families.

  Participants will be recruited via GIDS. GIDS will send the information letter to families asking if an adolescent sibling to the child with gender dysphoria would consider participation.

  As there is no research exploring the experience of having a gender variant sibling, individual interviews will:
  • explore the experiences of adolescent siblings of teenagers with gender dysphoria, and their feelings/attitudes towards gender variance. Areas of interest will include their responses to hearing their siblings was transgender, how they have adapted to this, how their relationship with their sibling has/has not changed as a consequence, and any particular challenges or positive experiences
  • explore how siblings’ experiences and feelings may change over time, and what they feel they support needs are
  • generate recommendations as to how siblings might best be supported by health, social care, and charitable/voluntary services

  Adolescent siblings who consent to participate in this research will be interviewed about their experiences, (most likely an initial interview and a follow up). These interviews will be recorded on a dictaphone, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using grounded theory generating themes.

  This research will be submitted as part of a Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, a paper will be submitted to an appropriate journal, and we plan to present at conferences.

• REC name

  West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/WM/0100

• Date of REC Opinion

  7 May 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion