Relationship between Feelings of Gender Dysphoria and Psychological and Social Maladjustment in Elementary and Middle School Students

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K13334
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Chukyo University (2023); Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences (2018-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Hamada Megumi 中京大学, 心理学部, 准教授 (00735079)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 性別違和感 / 小中学生 / 心理社会的不適応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined the relationship between the feeling of gender dysphoria and mental health or psychosocial maladjustment among elementary and junior high school students, as well as the temporal stability of gender dysphoria from late elementary school to junior high school. An annual questionnaire survey was conducted targeting about 5,000 students enrolled in all elementary and junior high schools in a certain municipality. The survey investigated gender dysphoria, mental health (depression and aggression), and stress related to friendships, family, teachers, and academics. Regarding the stability of the feeling of gender dysphoria, data from a six-year longitudinal survey involving approximately 2,000 students from three cohorts were used to examine both absolute and relative stability. It was found that the stability of gender dysphoria increases from elementary to junior high school and that stability is higher in girls than in boys.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本邦では一般の小中学生について大規模なサンプルを対象に性別違和感の存在を明らかにした研究は見られないため，本研究は日本の性別違和感のある児童生徒に関する基礎的なデータとなり得る。さらに、子どもの性別違和感の安定性について，一般児童生徒を対象として大規模かつ縦断的に複数コホートを検証した研究は，国内外を通して見られず，本研究は子どもの発達過程における性別違和感に関する新たな知見を提供するものである。