Gender-Diverse Youths Reported More Psychotic-Like Experiences - Summary - MDSpire

Gender-Diverse Youths Reported More Psychotic-Like Experiences

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • May 21, 2026

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Objective:

To investigate the association between bullying victimization, state gender-identity policy environments, and psychotic-like experiences among gender-diverse youths, specifically focusing on those assigned female at birth.

Key Findings:
  • Mean psychotic-like experience score was 7.5 for the most gender-diverse youths compared to 2.0 for the least gender-diverse.
  • Bullying victimization scores were 4.6 for the most gender-diverse compared to 2.8 for the least.
  • The most gender-diverse group scored 0.78 standard deviations higher on psychotic-like experiences than the least gender-diverse group.
  • Longitudinal analyses indicated that psychotic-like experiences increased over time among the most gender-diverse youths in low-support policy environments.
Interpretation:

The study suggests that bullying victimization and unsupportive state policies contribute to higher psychotic-like experiences in gender-diverse youths, highlighting the need for targeted mental health assessments and interventions.

Limitations:
  • Observational study design limits causal conclusions.
  • Participants excluded due to incomplete data may differ significantly from the broader cohort.
  • The policy metric reflects overall legislative climate rather than individual laws.
  • Potential biases in self-reporting may affect the accuracy of psychotic-like experience assessments.
Conclusion:

The findings emphasize the importance of considering social and political environments in the mental health care of gender-diverse youths, particularly in shaping supportive policies.

Original Source(s)

Gender-Diverse Youths Reported More Psychotic-Like Experiences

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • May 21, 2026

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