Social transition solidifies a transgender identity.

A study of 317 trans-identifying youth found an average of five years after their initial social transition, 94% continued to identify as binary transgender, while 3.5% identified as non-binary.

In a 2022 longitudinal study by Olson et al., 317 trans-identifying youth were followed for an average of five years after their initial social transitions (mean age at start of study = 8.1 years). The findings showed that five years post-social transition, 94% of youth continued to identify as binary transgender, 3.5% identified as nonbinary, and 2.5% identified as cisgender. Avoiding the use of the DSM-5 criteria for gender dysphoria due to ethical concerns from parents, the study classified gender identities using initial visit data, which displayed signs of gender identification and preferences, along with parent-reported “cross-sex” preferences. The final identity was then established based on the most recent interaction with the youth or their parents before January 1, 2021. [1]

REFERENCES

[1] Olson, K. R., Durwood, L., Horton, R., Gallagher, N. M., & Devor, A. (2022). Gender identity five years after social transition. Pediatrics, 150(2). [Link]