Transforming Mental Health for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Young Adults Using Interventions to Drive Equity...

Area of Science:

• Digital mental health interventions
• Adolescent and young adult psychology
• Gender-affirming care

Background:

• Transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse (TGD) young adults experience higher rates of suicidality and depressive distress.
• Family and community support are crucial protective factors for TGD youth mental health.
• Existing interventions often lack tailored support for TGD individuals and their families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of TransHealthGUIDE, a novel app-based intervention for TGD young adults.
• To reduce suicidal ideation and depressive distress in TGD young adults.
• To enhance family support and community connection for TGD young adults and their caregivers.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing immediate vs. deferred intervention arms.
• Development of a digital app with 33 self-paced modules, communication, and interactive resources.
• Enrollment of 500 TGD young adults (ages 18-24) and caregivers across 10 US states, with data collection at baseline, 6, and 12 months.

Main Results:

• Community advisory boards guided study design, survey development, and intervention content.
• Recruitment and screening initiated in January 2025, with initial enrollment underway.
• Ongoing engagement with the community advisory board to inform iterative improvements.

Conclusions:

• App-based interventions hold promise for improving the mental health of TGD young people at a population level.
• TransHealthGUIDE addresses a critical gap in mental health support for underserved TGD populations.
• The intervention's focus on both TGD young adults and their caregivers enhances its potential impact.