Grant: CIHR Fellowship

There are a number of children who experience confusion about their gender identity, wishing or believing they were of the opposite sex. These children often experience a number of other mental health issues as well. These mental health issues include high levels of anxiety and mood disorders, such as depression. It is not clear, however, which mental health issues most often accompany gender identity confusion in children. Similarly, it is not clear what impact the family environment might have on the mental health of these children. To fill these gaps, my research will utilize 600 case files on children who were confused about their gender identity. These case files belong to the Gender Identity Service at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and contain extensive information gathered during clinical assessments. This information includes details about the mental health issues experienced by gender-confused children as well as various aspects of their parents, including their mental health status, substance use history, relationship quality, and parenting style. By compiling the information in these files, I will be able to identify those mental health issues that accompany gender identity confusion in children as well as the family environments that are related to these issues. Importantly, this information will be useful for informing mental health issues in gender minority groups and contribute toward a more equitable and inclusive Canadian health system.