Abstract
Childhood gender variance (GV) and its association with psychological well-being have garnered increasing interest recently but little is known about children from the community and non-Western samples. Therefore, we examined GV and its associations with psychological well-being in a Chinese community sample where study of childhood GV is extremely rare. Parents of 461 Chinese children aged 4–12 years (243 birthassigned males) provided information on GV using the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children (GIQC) and on psychological well-being. Children assigned female at birth (girls) were more gender-variant than children assigned male at birth (boys). In boys, higher GV correlated with lower happiness, lower selfworth, more behavior problems, and poorer peer relations. In boys, controlling for demographic covariates and adding peer relations as an independent variable, poorer peer relations also independently associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors, and GV still associated with lower happiness and self-worth. In girls, GV minimally associated with psychological well-being but poorer peer relations associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors. Peer relations did not moderate any effect of GVon psychological well-being. The GIQC demonstrated potential as a measurement tool outsideWestern contexts. Chinese boys who exhibit GV appear to face similar psychological well-being challenges as theirWestern counterparts. However, factors that moderate the association between GV and psychological well-being have yet to be identified in this population.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 2023 |
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Wong, W. I., van der Miesen, A. I. R., Shi, S. Y., Ngan, C. L., Lei, H. C., Leung, J. S. Y., & VanderLaan, D. P. (2023). Gender Variance and PsychologicalWell-being in Chinese Community Children. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000632
Wong, Wang Ivy ; van der Miesen, Anna I. R. ; Shi, Sylvia Yun et al. / Gender Variance and PsychologicalWell-being in Chinese Community Children. In: Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. 2023.
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title = "Gender Variance and PsychologicalWell-being in Chinese Community Children",
abstract = "Childhood gender variance (GV) and its association with psychological well-being have garnered increasing interest recently but little is known about children from the community and non-Western samples. Therefore, we examined GV and its associations with psychological well-being in a Chinese community sample where study of childhood GV is extremely rare. Parents of 461 Chinese children aged 4–12 years (243 birthassigned males) provided information on GV using the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children (GIQC) and on psychological well-being. Children assigned female at birth (girls) were more gender-variant than children assigned male at birth (boys). In boys, higher GV correlated with lower happiness, lower selfworth, more behavior problems, and poorer peer relations. In boys, controlling for demographic covariates and adding peer relations as an independent variable, poorer peer relations also independently associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors, and GV still associated with lower happiness and self-worth. In girls, GV minimally associated with psychological well-being but poorer peer relations associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors. Peer relations did not moderate any effect of GVon psychological well-being. The GIQC demonstrated potential as a measurement tool outsideWestern contexts. Chinese boys who exhibit GV appear to face similar psychological well-being challenges as theirWestern counterparts. However, factors that moderate the association between GV and psychological well-being have yet to be identified in this population.",
author = "Wong, {Wang Ivy} and {van der Miesen}, {Anna I. R.} and Shi, {Sylvia Yun} and Ngan, {Cho Lam} and Lei, {Hoi Ching} and Leung, {Janice Sin Yu} and VanderLaan, {Doug P.}",
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language = "English",
journal = "Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity",
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Wong, WI, van der Miesen, AIR, Shi, SY, Ngan, CL, Lei, HC, Leung, JSY & VanderLaan, DP 2023, 'Gender Variance and PsychologicalWell-being in Chinese Community Children', Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000632
Gender Variance and PsychologicalWell-being in Chinese Community Children. / Wong, Wang Ivy; van der Miesen, Anna I. R.; Shi, Sylvia Yun et al.
In: Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 2023.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender Variance and PsychologicalWell-being in Chinese Community Children
AU - Wong, Wang Ivy
AU - van der Miesen, Anna I. R.
AU - Shi, Sylvia Yun
AU - Ngan, Cho Lam
AU - Lei, Hoi Ching
AU - Leung, Janice Sin Yu
AU - VanderLaan, Doug P.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Childhood gender variance (GV) and its association with psychological well-being have garnered increasing interest recently but little is known about children from the community and non-Western samples. Therefore, we examined GV and its associations with psychological well-being in a Chinese community sample where study of childhood GV is extremely rare. Parents of 461 Chinese children aged 4–12 years (243 birthassigned males) provided information on GV using the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children (GIQC) and on psychological well-being. Children assigned female at birth (girls) were more gender-variant than children assigned male at birth (boys). In boys, higher GV correlated with lower happiness, lower selfworth, more behavior problems, and poorer peer relations. In boys, controlling for demographic covariates and adding peer relations as an independent variable, poorer peer relations also independently associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors, and GV still associated with lower happiness and self-worth. In girls, GV minimally associated with psychological well-being but poorer peer relations associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors. Peer relations did not moderate any effect of GVon psychological well-being. The GIQC demonstrated potential as a measurement tool outsideWestern contexts. Chinese boys who exhibit GV appear to face similar psychological well-being challenges as theirWestern counterparts. However, factors that moderate the association between GV and psychological well-being have yet to be identified in this population.
AB - Childhood gender variance (GV) and its association with psychological well-being have garnered increasing interest recently but little is known about children from the community and non-Western samples. Therefore, we examined GV and its associations with psychological well-being in a Chinese community sample where study of childhood GV is extremely rare. Parents of 461 Chinese children aged 4–12 years (243 birthassigned males) provided information on GV using the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children (GIQC) and on psychological well-being. Children assigned female at birth (girls) were more gender-variant than children assigned male at birth (boys). In boys, higher GV correlated with lower happiness, lower selfworth, more behavior problems, and poorer peer relations. In boys, controlling for demographic covariates and adding peer relations as an independent variable, poorer peer relations also independently associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors, and GV still associated with lower happiness and self-worth. In girls, GV minimally associated with psychological well-being but poorer peer relations associated with lower happiness, lower self-worth, and more problem behaviors. Peer relations did not moderate any effect of GVon psychological well-being. The GIQC demonstrated potential as a measurement tool outsideWestern contexts. Chinese boys who exhibit GV appear to face similar psychological well-being challenges as theirWestern counterparts. However, factors that moderate the association between GV and psychological well-being have yet to be identified in this population.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85158106206&origin=inward
U2 - 10.1037/sgd0000632
DO - 10.1037/sgd0000632
M3 - Article
SN - 2329-0382
JO - Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity
JF - Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity
ER -
Wong WI, van der Miesen AIR, Shi SY, Ngan CL, Lei HC, Leung JSY et al. Gender Variance and PsychologicalWell-being in Chinese Community Children. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. 2023. Epub 2023. doi: 10.1037/sgd0000632
FAQs
How do you deal with gender fluid children? ›
- Believe Your Children and Provide Judgement-Free Space.
- Create an Open, Respectful Environment Within The Home.
- Introduce Them To Diverse Media With Good Representation.
- Encourage Them To Make Friends in the LGBTQIA+ Community.
Signs of Gender Expansiveness in Children
Desire to wear clothing not meant for their assigned sex/meant for the opposite sex. Becoming upset when forced to wear clothes that match their assigned sex. Reference to themself by different pronouns than they were assigned.
Gender identity typically develops in stages: Around age two: Children become conscious of the physical differences between boys and girls. Before their third birthday: Most children can easily label themselves as either a boy or a girl. By age four: Most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.
How does gender identity develop in children? ›Most children will continue to have a gender identify that matches the assigned sex at birth. Pre-teens and teens continue to develop their gender identity through personal reflection and with input from their social environment, like peers, family and friends. Some gender-stereotyped behaviours may appear.