Experiences of families of adolescents with gender incongruence in the light of the Calgary Models for Families

Abstract

Objective: to know the experiences of family members of adolescents with gender incongruence. Method: this is a qualitative case study, supported by the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models theoretical-methodological framework. Data collection took place through semi-structured interviews, participant observation in family groups and document analysis, with eight family members. Data analysis was performed following the precepts of content analysis. Results: with family assessment, two categories emerged: “Challenges in the face of gender transition”, which highlighted the problems related to the expectations created at birth, new names, pronouns and gender fluidity and the fear of prejudice, and “Supporting aspects in the face of the possibility of gender transition”, which revealed family support as a strong point. Conclusion: knowing the experiences allowed us to understand the challenges that family members face when facing physical and emotional aspects of their children’s gender transition. It was noticed that the act of seeking help and offering support is important for a healthy transition. The findings provided a better understanding of family issues and provided suggestions on how nursing can develop care for this population.