ArticlePloS one2025
Adopted transgender subjects are overrepresented and have a different psychosocial profile than their non-adopted counterparts: A case-control study.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe factors driving the global increase in the number of transgender individuals remain unclear. It has been suggested that early-life events may interact with biological predispositions, yet little research has explored specific early-life circumstances that might contribute to gender incongruence. One such factor is adoption, as a few pediatric gender identity clinics have reported an overrepresentation of adoptees. However, no study has systematically examined whether this trend extends to adult transgender health centers, nor has the psychosocial profile of adopted transgender individuals been characterized in adulthood. AIMS AND
methodsThis retrospective study was conducted in two phases to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of adoptees among adult transgender patients seeking gender-affirming therapy. In Phase 1, we analyzed a cohort of 671 new adult subjects presenting between 2015 and 2021. In Phase 2, the nested case-control analysis, the 15 adoptees identified were matched in a 1:4 ratio with non-adopted controls based on age, assigned sex at birth, and presentation timing. Data on demographics, psychosocial factors, psychiatric diagnoses, and parental support were extracted from electronic records, and augmented by telephone interviews when needed.
resultsAdoptees constituted 2.2% of the clinic population, an order of magnitude higher than the national rate (P < 0.0001), with an unprecedented assigned-female-at-birth (AFAB) ratio of 73.3%. After matching, 60% of adoptees had at least one psychiatric co-morbidity, almost twice the rate of non-adopted controls (OR = 3.23, 95% CI: 1.02-10.21, P = 0.042). Despite coming from higher socioeconomic status homes (P < 0.001), adoptees had lower odds of achieving college education (P = 0.031), and receiving full parental support for transition (OR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.71, P = 0.015). Notably, 28.6% of adoptees had attempted suicide vs 3.3% of non-adopted controls (OR = 11.6, 95% CI: 1.87-71.97, P = 0.01).
conclusionsAdopted transgender individuals represent a vulnerable subgroup within the transgender population, characterized by unique psychosocial challenges. Our findings underscore the importance of tailored interventions and heightened support within transgender health clinics for adoptees seeking gender-affirming therapy. Further research is warranted to elucidate the interplay of adoption, biological predispositions, and social factors in the development of gender incongruence.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.