The unique challenges facing gender-nonconforming youth can also make them vulnerable for substance use and mental illness. Understanding their unique needs and creating preventative measures to address the risks they face is at the heart of a mixed methods study that has been awarded a Community Health Collaborative Pilot Grant from the University of Minnesota Clinical and Translational Science Institute.
“The Development of a Preventive Intervention to Support Mental and Chemical Health in Gender-Nonconforming (GNC) Adolescents” will be led by Timothy Piehler, assistant professor in Family Social Science (FSoS) at the University of Minnesota, in partnership with Ann Becher-Ingwalson, clinical supervisor and training director of Natalis Counseling and Psychological Solutions.
Co-investigators of the project are Jenifer McGuire, FSoS associate professor and affiliate faculty in the Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, and Julie Rohovit, director of the Center for Practice Transformation in the UMN School of Social Work. The team also includes Ken Winters, senior scientist at the Oregon Research Institute (Minnesota location); and an adjunct faculty in the UMN Department of Psychology, and Nicole Morrell, project manager, Institute for Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health.
According to the project proposal, there is substantial research showing that GNC adolescents experience significant stressors, including family rejection, lack of social support and harassment that puts them at a higher risk for depression, suicide and substance abuse. Research also shows that if they receive appropriate and comprehensive care, these young people can thrive, but that there has been “minimal progress in successfully addressing the high incidences of mental illness and substance use.”
The University of Minnesota and Natalis team aim to expand programs that address these health risks.
Over the next 18 months, the team will collaborate with two Twin Cities high schools to conduct focus groups with gender-nonconforming adolescents, their parents and school personnel, to better understand their unique needs. This information will guide the team to develop evidence-based programs and interventions as well as materials for youth and their parents. Following feedback sessions again with adolescents, their parents and school personnel, the team will conduct a pilot with a small sample of gender-nonconforming adolescents and their parents to assess the feasibility and acceptability of programming and solicit feedback for continued program refinement.
“We believe this intervention will be the first uniquely tailored to the needs of gender-nonconforming adolescents focusing specifically on substance use and mental health,” said Piehler. “If successful, this intervention will represent a significant step towards reducing the health disparities they experience.”
In addition, the team will closely collaborate with key stakeholders in a “Youth Advisory Board” of GNC youth and an “Expert Summit” of school personnel. Parents, teachers, and school-based mental health practitioners will also serve on these boards to inform the development and refinement of intervention materials and provide feedback on the implementation process.
