New APA Guidelines for treating Trans* and Gender non-comforming people

[- Rachel -]

From an August 6, 2015 Press release...

APA [American Psychological Association] Adopts Guidelines for Working With Transgender, Gender Nonconforming People

"Aim is to ensure well-informed care, treatment and research"

"TORONTO -- Psychologists who work with transgender or gender nonconforming people should seek to provide acceptance, support and understanding without making assumptions about their clients' gender identities or gender expressions, according to practice guidelines adopted during the American Psychological Association's 123rd Annual Convention."

"The "Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People" were adopted by APA's Council of Representatives at its meeting Aug. 5.

The document lays out 16 guidelines aimed at helping professionals better understand the lifespan development, stigma, discrimination and barriers to care faced by this population, as well as the state of research surrounding transgender and gender nonconforming people."

"We hope that these guidelines provide useful information that will enable psychologists to provide competent, sensitive and well-informed care and research," said Anneliese A. Singh, PhD, the task force's other co-chair. "Additionally, they are written in everyday language so they may be helpful to virtually anyone seeking a deeper understanding of transgender and gender nonconforming people. It is critically important that psychologists are informed about how to not only work with transgender people across the lifespan, but also understand that transgender people have existed in multiple cultures and countries around the world for hundreds of years."

One of the guidelines explains that the concept of gender goes beyond male and female, and that people may experience a range of gender identities that don't align with their sex assigned at birth. Another guideline explains that gender identity and sexual orientation are "distinct but interrelated constructs."

"For most people, gender identity develops earlier than sexual orientation," it says. "Gender identity is often established in young toddlerhood, in comparison to awareness of sexual orientation, which often emerges in early adolescence. ... Just as some people experience their sexual orientation as being fluid or variable, some people also experience their gender identity as fluid."

Other guidelines address the developmental needs of gender-questioning youth and encourage psychologists to work with other health care providers to coordinate the care of transgender and gender nonconforming clients.

Read the whole press release here

A copy of the guidelines can be found online (PDF, 819KB). Warning: it's not an easy read

[LordKAT]

I have a hard time with gender identity being a construct, other than that, OK.

[jessica32]

Just about to get in to see a therapist/psychologist hopefully it goes well nvr had much acceptance from other ppl irl could be amazing hope is all I need

[frances_larina]

From an August 6, 2015 Press release...

APA [American Psychological Association] Adopts Guidelines for Working With Transgender, Gender Nonconforming People

Ugh.  In the sections concerning children the guidelines cite too often & rely far too much on Zucker and Bailey, especially Z's study (-ies) that claim a disproportionate number of kids end up being gay instead of trans.  Those studies have been strongly criticized for not differentiating subjects who said they don't like living as a boy (play choices, etc) from subjects who said, "I am a girl".  It's as if he's the only one who has been publishing for the last ten years when that is clearly not so.  I guess it helps to chair the journal one publishes to.