The journal Pediatrics released two studies this week that focused on the mental and physical wellbeing of children who don’t conform to typical gender roles.
The first study, led by Children’s Hospital Boston researcher S. Bryn Austin, ScD, indicates that
The journal Pediatrics released two studies this week that focused on the mental and physical wellbeing of children who don’t conform to typical gender roles.
The first study, led by Children’s Hospital Boston researcher S. Bryn Austin, ScD, indicates that kids who fail to adapt traditional gender stereotypes as children are at a significantly greater risk for physical, sexual and psychological abuse during childhood. These children are also more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young adulthood.
The study was funded by the National Institute of Health and compiled data from almost 9,000 young adults. Participants were asked to recall their childhood experiences, including their favorite toys and games growing up. The types of charters they related to as children, which roles they adopted during pretend play and their earliest understanding of masculinity and femininity where all reported on as well. Researchers also asked participants to disclose information about any physical, sexual or emotional abuse they experienced at the hands of parents, other adults or older children. Finally, participants were screened for PSTD.
The study found that children who showed some instance of gender nonconformity before the age of 11 were more likely to have been the victim of some form of abuse and at increased risk for developing PSTD as adults. The study doesn’t prove a cause and effect relationship between gender nonconformity and abuse, but implies that the connection is strong enough that parents, teachers and health workers may want to consider screening children who display nonconforming gender behaviors for abuse.
Researchers also noted that childhood gender nonconformity was reported across all sexual orientations; 85 percent of youth who were gender nonconforming as children identified themselves as heterosexual in adulthood.
Read further coverage of Austin’s study on CNN’s website.
The second study, led by Children’s endocrinologist Norman Spack, MD, in collaboration with at