A New Study Challenges the Mental-Health Claims of “Gender-Affirming Care”

 A recent study from researchers in Hong Kong questions the effectiveness of “gender-affirming care”—which includes surgeries and hormone treatments—on the mental health of transgender individuals. The study suggests that non-medical factors, such as social support and coping strategies, play a more significant role in mental health outcomes.

1. Background of Gender-Affirming Care:

• Medical professionals have long claimed that gender-affirming care alleviates depression and suicidality in transgender individuals. This has shaped policies surrounding access to such treatments.

2. Study Design and Methodology:

• The research published in Frontiers in Psychiatry involved adults seeking help from a public Gender Identity Clinic in Hong Kong, starting with 394 participants sampled between 2019 and 2020.

• After accounting for dropouts and other factors, data from 178 individuals were analyzed, focusing on their mental health in relation to social support and coping styles.

3. Findings on Mental Health:

• The study found that neither hormone treatments nor surgeries led to significant reductions in depression or anxiety symptoms after factoring in the importance of coping strategies and social support.

• "Facilitative coping," which includes proactive stress management, correlated with better mental health, while "avoidant coping," which involves disengagement or self-blame, linked to worse outcomes.

4. Influence of Social Support:

• Higher levels of perceived social support resulted in fewer depressive symptoms. The research indicated that improvements in mental health seen in some patients could be largely due to increased family support rather than medical interventions.

5. Discussion on Gender Identity:

• The study raises questions about the biological basis of transgender identities and suggests that distress often stems from psychological factors rather than a distinct biological condition. It proposes that individuals often interpret their distress through the lens of gender identity, which may not address the underlying issues.

6. Advice for Recovery:

• The authors imply that recovery may be more achievable through improving social support and coping strategies rather than relying solely on medical treatments. They advise against immersion in communities that may entrench feelings of grievance and identity distress.

The Hong Kong study indicates that medical treatments corresponding to gender identity may not resolve psychological issues. Instead, enhancing social support and healthier coping mechanisms may be more effective approaches. The research challenges long-held beliefs about gender-affirming care and points toward addressing mental health needs through non-medical means.

https://www.city-journal.org/article/trans-mental-health-gender-affirming-care-hong-kong-study