Purpose: Transgender and gender diverse youth (TGDY) can be a challenging population to reach because of limitations related to parental/guardian consent and concerns about privacy. This pilot study's purpose was to assess the feasibility of recruiting a US nation-wide longitudinal sample of TGDY through social media, and to compare participants who completed the Wave 1 survey only to TGDY who completed both Wave 1 and Wave 2 surveys.
Methods: Adolescents (aged 14-17 years) who identified as TGDY were recruited through social media and invited to complete two online surveys across a 3-month period. Surveys included measures of mental health, substance use, and community connection.
Results: The Wave 1 sample included 252 TGDY, with 183 (73%) retained at Wave 2. There were few differences (i.e., gender identity; sex assigned at birth) between Wave 1-only participants and those retained at Wave 2.
Discussion: Findings demonstrate the feasibility of recruiting a U.S. nation-wide longitudinal sample of TGDY through social media, providing an important platform for conducting research to improve well-being of TGDY.
Keywords: Adolescents; Gender diverse; Longitudinal; Mental health.
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