Identified protective factors to support psychological well-being among gender diverse autistic youth

three friends sit in a parkUMass Amherst faculty and alumni recently published a study focused on the intersections of gender diversity and neurodiversity among youth. Scott Greenspan (PhD, School Psychology ’20), Samuel Carr (B.S. Psychology ’19), Ashley Woodman (faculty member in PBS), Amy Cannava, and Yena Li explored school and community-based protective factors that relate to psychological well-being and life satisfaction among 31 transgender and gender diverse autistic youths between the ages of 13 to 17.

Results suggest that community connectedness, school support, family availability, and self-identification of sexual orientation as queer were identified as protective factors. The authors provide recommendations to link these findings into school and community-based contexts.

Read full paper from the Journal of LGBT Youth