Young people's gender social-transition within the family context
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A grounded theory of social-transition within the family from the experience of gender-diverse young people and their parents or carers.
IRAS ID
292683
Contact name
Sophie Razzel
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Church University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Research Summary
A proportion of gender-diverse young people socially-transition, the process of making social changes to change one’s gender performance and presentation (Mermaids, 2020). Social transition may involve a change in name, pronouns or physical presentation such as through clothing choices (Ehrensaft et al., 2018) but does not include physical transition (Mermaids, 2020; The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, 2020c).It has been suggested that social-transition often helps to reduce distress that can be experienced by some gender-diverse young people (Kuvalanka et al., 2014; Chen et al., 2017). Bull and D’Arrigo-Patrick (2018) interviewed parents of gender-diverse young people and highlighted the role of the whole family system in social-transition. Schimmel-Bristow et al. (2018) interviewed transgender young people and their parents and findings indicated that family responses played a key role in gender-diverse young people’s life satisfaction and ability to socially transition. However, there is a lack of theory and research on this topic and most research has been with US samples.
Given the impact social-transition can have upon the wellbeing of gender-diverse young people and the important role families may play in this, it is important to develop understanding in this area. This study aims to develop an understanding of how the social transition of young people unfolds within families. Interviews will be carried out with approximately five gender-diverse young people under the care of the NHS Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) and their parents/ carers (approximately 10-15 participants in total). The interviews will be carried out by video-call or in person at the GIDS site, will last approximately one hour and will ask participants about their experience of social-transition. The interviews will be analysed using grounded theory methodology. This will involve breaking down what participants have said, sorting it into categories and constructing a theory from this.
Summary of Results
Background/ Key Terms:
A proportion of transgender and/ or gender-diverse young people socially-transition. Gender diverse (GD) refers to people whose gender identity, role and/or expression is different from that which is culturally expected for them, based on the gender they were assigned at birth. Transgender and/or GD includes trans and/or non-binary individuals, along with a range of other gender identities and expressions.Social transition can be defined as the process of making social changes to change gender performance and presentation. Social transition may include changing name, pronouns, use of toilets, and visual expressors such as clothing choices, but does not include physical gender transition (such as through hormone blockers and 'cross-sex' hormones).
This study aimed to develop more of an understanding of the process of social transition of young people within their families. 4 young people and 5 of their parents took part (4 families in total) in one-to-one interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded and then transcribed (typed-up).
Analysing the interviews: A method called ‘Grounded Theory’ was used. This involved breaking down what each person had said, sorting this into categories (groups), and working out what other questions still needed answering. Families in the later interviews were then asked these questions, until there was enough information to build a theory of social transition.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0854
Date of REC Opinion
3 Dec 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion