Pediatricians Release Position Statement Reviewing Over 60 Studies on Mental Health in Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria

February 7, 2024

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Atlanta, GA - The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) has released a position statement titled Mental Health in Adolescents with Incongruence of Gender Identity and Biological Sex. The authors reviewed over 60 studies and concluded that social transition, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones have no demonstrable, long-term benefit on psychosocial well-being of adolescents with gender dysphoria. The paper details studies that have led many countries to reject transgender interventions in adolescents in favor of psychological treatment.

Lead author and Vice President of ACPeds, Dr. Jane Anderson says, “We urge medical professionals and parents to affirm the truth about childhood gender dysphoria in the presence of harmful thoughts and address the underlying mental illness, adverse events, and family dysfunction.”

Dr. Michael Artigues, President of ACPeds, says “The studies reviewed in this paper demonstrate what many who practice medicine intuitively understand that young patients experiencing gender dysphoria deserve help in accepting and loving themselves as they are, not interventions that destroy their healthy bodies and put them on track of  medicalization for life.”

To read the Position Statement, click here.  To read the factsheet summary, click here.

To request an interview with the authors, please email connect@acpeds.org.  

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a national medical association of licensed physicians and healthcare professionals who specialize in the care of infants, children, and adolescents. It was founded by a group of concerned physicians who saw the need for a pediatric organization that would not be influenced by the politically driven pronouncements of the day. The mission of the ACPeds is to enable all children to reach their optimal physical and emotional health and well-being. The ACPeds is committed to fulfilling its mission by producing sound policy, based upon the best available research, to assist parents and to influence society in the endeavor of childrearing.