Evidence for effective interventions for children and young people with gender dysphoria—update

Gender dysphoria is a condition where a person experiences discomfort or distress because their gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. This can affect children and young people significantly, impacting their mental health and overall well-being.

We looked at the latest research from around the world to understand what knowledge was being used to inform the care of children and young people with gender dysphoria by looking for research published in the scientific literature between 2019 and 2023. This work builds on a previous report we provided to NSW Health summarising the research published between 2000 and 2019.

We found 82 research studies published since 2019. This represents a rapid growth in research in this field. Various methods of varying quality were used to gather information in these studies. While we found that there hasn’t been a significant increase in the use of gold-standard methods (such as, randomised controlled trials (RCTs)) in this emerging field of research, we were still able to draw out meaningful insights into the effectiveness and risks of gender dysphoria treatments. The research we found provides a good starting point for discussing critical issues with patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers, including deciding where to invest in future research.

NSW Health will use this review’s findings to guide various projects designed to gather more information from experts and people with lived experiences, with the aim of providing safe and effective psychological and medical treatment services for young people with gender dysphoria.

For all enquiries please contact media@health.nsw.gov.au.