A comparison of gender diversity in transgender young people with and without autistic traits from the Trans 20 cohort study.

Background: There is an elevated co-occurrence of autism in trans individuals, with recent meta-analyses suggesting that 11% of trans individuals are autistic. The presence of autism in trans young people can create clinical challenges by adding complexity to the presentation, assessment and management of those presenting to gender clinics. Although many trans young people display traits of autism, how these traits relate to the nature of their gender diversity is unclear.

Education support services for improving school engagement and academic performance of children and adolescents with a chronic health condition.

Background: Chronic health conditions in children and adolescents can have profound impacts on education, well-being and health. They are described as non-communicable illnesses that are prolonged in duration, do not resolve spontaneously, and rarely cured completely. Due to variations in the definition of chronic health conditions and how they are measured prevalence estimates vary considerably and have been reported to be as high as 44% in children and adolescents.

Assessment of Quality of Life of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents in Melbourne, Australia, 2017-2020.

Importance: Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) children and adolescents may experience not only gender dysphoria but also depression and anxiety, all of which are likely to be associated with reduced quality of life (QOL). Despite this, little is known about QOL in this population.

Objectives: To identify demographic, social, and clinical characteristics associated with reduced QOL in TGD children and adolescents; compare their QOL with age-matched population-based norms and that of young people with common mental health problems; and evaluate the association between gender dysphoria and QOL.

The clinical profile of patients attending a large, Australian pediatric gender service: A 10-year review.

To better understand the clinical profile of patients attending a large Australian pediatric gender service. Retrospective clinical audit of patients seen at the Royal Children's Hospital Gender Service (RCHGS) over 10 years (2007-16). The RCHGS: Australia's largest pediatric gender service.

A Waitlist Intervention for Transgender Young People and Psychosocial Outcomes.

Background: Recent referrals of transgender young people to specialist gender services worldwide have risen exponentially, resulting in wait times of 1-2 years. To manage this demand, we introduced an innovative First Assessment Single-Session Triage (FASST) clinic that provides information and support to young people and their families and triages them onto a secondary waitlist for subsequent multidisciplinary care. Although FASST has been shown to substantially reduce initial wait times, its clinical impact is unknown.

Measurement tools for gender identity, gender expression, and gender dysphoria in transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Increasing numbers of children and adolescents are being referred to gender services for gender-related concerns. Various instruments are used with these patients in clinical care, but their clinical validity, strengths, and limitations have not been systematically reviewed. In this systematic review, we searched MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases for available tools that assess gender identity, gender expression, or gender dysphoria in transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) children and adolescents.

Youths with a non-binary gender identity: a review of their sociodemographic and clinical profile.

Many of the considerable number of young people who identify as transgender or gender diverse do not conform to traditional binary notions of gender (male vs female), and instead have a non-binary gender identity. This narrative Review summarises literature related to the sociodemographic and clinical profiles of young people with a non-binary gender identity. Young people identifying as non-binary form a substantial minority of the general population.

What are the health outcomes of trans and gender diverse young people in Australia? Study protocol for the Trans20 longitudinal cohort study.

Introduction: Being transgender is frequently accompanied by gender dysphoria, which often coexists with mental health concerns. Increased referrals of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth to gender clinics have been observed in many countries. Nevertheless, there are limited empirical data on the presentation and outcomes of these patients, and there is an urgent need for more evidence to ensure optimal medical and psychosocial interventions.

Patient and Parent Experiences of Care at a Pediatric Gender Service.

To explore experiences of care at the Royal Children's Hospital Gender Service (RCHGS). A total of 114 parents and 52 patients of the RCHGS completed an experience of care survey. Most participants highly rated elements of the family-centered care and multidisciplinary team at RCHGS.

School Functioning in Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

It is well known that adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) experience greater school absenteeism compared to healthy adolescents. Less is known about other important aspects of school functioning including school participation, school connectedness, and academic performance in students with CFS. The aim of this study was to compare school functioning as a multifaceted construct in adolescents with CFS to healthy adolescent peers.

Australian standards of care and treatment guidelines for transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents.

The Australian standards of care and treatment guidelines aim to maximise quality care provision to transgender and gender diverse (TGD) children and adolescents across Australia, while recognising the unique circumstances of providing such care to this population. Recommendations are made based on available empirical evidence and clinician consensus, and have been developed in consultation with Australian professionals from multiple disciplines working with the TGD population, TGD support organisations, as well as TGD children and adolescents and their families. Main recommendations: Recommendations include general principles for supporting TGD children and adolescents using an affirmative approach, separate guidelines for the care of pre-pubertal children and TGD adolescents, as well as discipline-based recommendations for mental health care, medical and surgical interventions, fertility preservation, and speech therapy.

Implementing a Single-Session Nurse-Led Assessment Clinic into a Gender Service.

The Royal Children's Hospital Gender Service offers support, assessment, and medical care to transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents in Victoria, Australia. Referrals have rapidly increased leading to extended wait times. In response, a single-session nurse-led assessment clinic (SSNac) was introduced as the clinical entry point to the service, during which a biopsychosocial assessment is undertaken, and information, education, and support are provided.

Measuring School Functioning in Students With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Background: It is often surmised that school functioning is significantly impacted in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); however, how this phenomenon manifests itself has rarely been characterized.

Methods: This systematic review synthesized and critically appraised methods, constructs, and instruments used to assess school functioning in students with CFS. Searches were conducted in electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, ERIC, and PsycINFO) to locate empirical studies that measured school functioning in children and adolescents with CFS.

Protective Factors Against the Impact of School Bullying Perpetration and Victimization on Young Adult Externalizing and Internalizing Problems.

School-based bullying perpetration and victimization is common worldwide and has profound impacts on student behavior and mental health. However, few studies have examined young adult outcomes of bullying perpetration or victimization. Research on factors that protect students who have bullied or been bullied is also lacking.

Predictors of Traditional and Cyber-Bullying Victimization: A Longitudinal Study of Australian Secondary School Students.

The purpose of the present article is to compare the individual, peer, family, and school risk and protective factors for both traditional and cyber-bullying victimization. This article draws on data from 673 students from Victoria, Australia, to examine Grade 7 (aged 12-13 years) predictors of traditional and cyber-bullying victimization in Grade 9 (aged 14-15 years). Participants completed a modified version of the Communities That Care youth survey.

Carrying weapons and intent to harm among Victorian secondary school students in 1999 and 2009.

Objective: To examine comparable survey data across 10 years to assess whether rates of self-reported weapon carrying and intent to harm others have increased as suggested in reported trends in violent offences.

Design, Setting And Participants: Population-based surveys administered to Victorian secondary school students in 1999 (8984 students) and 2009 (10 273 students) attending government, Catholic and independent schools.

Main Outcome Measures: Student self-reports of carrying a weapon and attacking someone with the intent to harm in the past 12 months.

Longitudinal predictors of cyber and traditional bullying perpetration in Australian secondary school students.

Purpose: Cyberbullying perpetration (using communication technology to engage in bullying) is a recent phenomenon that has generated much concern. There are few prospective longitudinal studies of cyberbullying. The current article examines the individual, peer, family, and school risk factors for both cyber and traditional bullying (the latter is bullying that does not use technology) in adolescents.

A prospective study of the effects of optimism on adolescent health risks.

Context: The promotion of optimism has been widely advocated for children and adolescents, but epidemiologic data to support this approach are scant.

Methods: This was a 3-wave longitudinal study of health and social development in younger adolescents from 3 Australian states. The 5634 student participants, initially aged 12 to 14 years, were assessed for optimistic thinking style, emotional problems, substance use, and antisocial behaviors.

A comparison of the Gatehouse Bullying Scale and the peer relations questionnaire for students in secondary school.

Background: Bullying occurs in all schools. Measuring bullying in schools is complicated because both definitions of bullying and methods for measuring bullying vary. This study compared a brief 12-item Gatehouse Bullying Scale (GBS) with items drawn from the Peer Relations Questionnaire (PRQ), a well-established bullying questionnaire to measure the concurrent validity of the GBS.