Creating a Supportive Treatment Environment for Gender and/or Sexual Minorities
By Molly Hedrick, PhD – Team Lead, New England
“Knowing I’m not alone in this.”
Research has indicated that, relative to heterosexual and gender-conforming peers, teens who identify as a gender and/or sexual minorities (GSM) experience greater psychological distress and higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. One reason for this is the stigma and microaggressions that members of these communities often face, even in healthcare settings.
Microaggressions vs. Microaffirmations
Microaggressions can be defined as statements that affirm stereotypes and deny or minimize the existence of individual and systemic oppression of minoritized groups.
Examples of micro aggressions in healthcare settings include:
being misgendered
being asked to “teach” health care providers about gender and sexuality
confusing gender and sexuality
using gender binary and heteronormative language in paperwork
On the other hand, microaffirmations are defined “subtle acts of acceptance and affirmation” that may help support mental health. This includes supporting and affirming sexual and gender identities, acknowledging the trauma of stigma, and advocating for policies that support and protect GSM communities.
Bradley REACH Creates a Safe Space
At Bradley REACH, in our attachment and systemic-based intensive program, we aim to create a safe space in which all teens in general and marginalized teens specifically feel more connected and able to seek help. Our research has indicated that teens identifying as gender and/or sexual minorities (GSM) experience higher distress across psychosocial domains than their gender-conforming and heterosexual peers but GSM teens benefit similarly from treatment at Bradley REACH.
Furthermore, recent research from the Bradley REACH program has indicated that teens who identify as gender nonconforming demonstrate significantly more improvement in self-injurious behaviors relative to cisgender peers. This suggests that trans and gender nonconforming teens respond very well to supportive treatment environments. These teens also indicated high degrees of satisfaction and mentioned several factors that are helpful in treatment including the specific therapies (especially group therapies) and a sense of connection and belonging with peers (“knowing I’m not alone in this”) and with staff.
We must continue to offer innovative, quality, accessible, and affirming care aimed at GSM adolescents in order to best build healthy individuals and communities for all.
Sher, E., Hedrick, M., Paliotta, M., Dawson, L. J., Issa, N., & Gelman, D. (2022). Learn to affirm:
suicidality reduction in gender and sexual minority youth through interpersonal and systemic change. Psychiatric Annals, 52(8), 328–332. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20220718-02
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If you or your child are in crisis or experiencing mental health problems please seek the advice of a licensed clinician or call 988 or Kids Link in Rhode Island.
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