The Information Needs of Family Members of Gender-Diverse Youth

Background: Gender-diverse youth often experience bullying, discrimination, harassment, and rejection in schools, social situations, and home. Even supportive individuals may make errors that offend youth and contribute to negative feelings. Family members are often on the front line trying to support their youth, but report they are not aware of how to do so and often feel as if they are making mistakes. Many seek out information online or within support groups but there is little research on what types of information are needed the most. This study sought to determine what information is most desired by family members of gender-diverse youth and how they acquire that information.

Method: Links to an online survey were distributed via social media (Facebook and Instagram), within LGBTQ+ community centers, and through listservs hosted by organizations serving family members of gender-diverse youth. The survey asked family members of gender-diverse youth about the information they sought out in the first year after their family member came out as well as what sources were most useful for them. Data were analyzed for frequencies in several manners – most sought-after information in general, most commonly consulted sources, and most impactful sources. Participants had the opportunity to be entered into a drawing for a $10 gift card as compensation for their time.

Results: A total of 461 individuals completed the entire survey, with respondents coming from across the globe. Of these 417 indicated that they were a parent of a gender-diverse youth. The ages of youth ranged from 3-24, with an average age of 15.6 years old. The youth had been out for an average of 2.8 years.

The most sought after information was about gender identity terminology. The second most desired information was about definitions of gender identity and the third online support groups for family members. Gender-related school concerns and responding to gender-related questions from family members were the fourth and fifth most sought after information, respectively. The top five sources rated as most useful were mental health professions, online support groups, LGBTQ+ community center, LGBTQ+-related websites, and research/academic articles, in that order.

Conclusions and Implications: This study sought to understand the information most desired by family members of gender-diverse youth and the most used sources for that information. Results indicated that family members primarily need information about what gender is and how to discuss it with others. LGBTQ+-related organizations, support groups, and websites play as essential role in helping family members meet their needs and better understand their family member. This information will help providers to prepare for the types of questions that family members of gender-diverse youth may ask and provide them with guidance as to the most useful means of information provision. Knowing this will allow for more efficient service provision as well as offering guidance to those who seek to develop resources for family members of gender-diverse youth.