Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

Abstract:

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals often must undergo a psychosocial assessment and receive a letter of support from a mental health care provider to access gender-affirming medical care (GAMC). This study describes TGD individuals' perceptions of barriers and benefits of the assessment process and uses thematic analysis to explore TGD individuals' opinions on how mental health care should or should not be related to gender-affirming medical care. Two hundred and eighteen TGD participants completed an online survey. Participants endorsed benefits and negative impacts associated with the psychosocial assessment and provided qualitative responses to explain their support or opposition to involvement of mental health care and assessment in accessing GAMC. Nearly all participants identified both benefits (e.g., "experienced validation") and barriers (e.g., "experienced an increase in psychological distress") to the psychosocial assessment. Results are considered in the context of the historical marginalization and gatekeeping of TGD people by the medical system.