The overall goal of the larger 3-aim study is to develop and pilot test a training intervention to increase mental health providers' use of gender-affirming practices with gender minority youth (GMY; children, adolescents, and young adults whose gender is different from their birth-assigned sex). The Boston College Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved protocol #21.247.01-15. Aim 1 involved designing the training intervention through an extensive literature review and community-engaged methods that centered on collaborations with providers, GMY, and caregivers. Aim 2 (in progress) entails refining the training intervention via human centered design methods. Aim 3 (registered here) of the study is an open trial pilot study at a multi-clinic mental health agency, aimed at examining the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a future randomized controlled trial (RCT). Effectiveness and implementation data from both providers (n=49) and clients (i.e., GMY and their caregivers; n=50 GMY and n=30 caregivers) will be collected and analyzed. Primary outcomes are measured at the provider-level and secondary outcomes are measured at the patient-level (i.e., GMY and their caregivers).
The overall goal of the larger 3-aim study is to develop and pilot test a training intervention to increase mental health providers' use of gender-affirming practices with gender minority youth (GMY; children, adolescents, and young adults whose gender is different from their birth-assigned sex). Aim 3 (registered here) of the study is an open trial pilot study at a multi-clinic mental health agency, aimed at examining the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a future randomized controlled trial (RCT).