Evaluation of Teen Connection Project for Trans and Gender Minority Youth

An Online Mentoring Program to Prevent Adversities Among Trans and Other Gender Minority Youth (PILOT RCT PHASE)

The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate an online mentoring and skill-building program for transgender and/or gender minority youth (TGMY) ages 14 to 18, the Teen Connection Project (TCP). The TCP includes seven 90-minute sessions facilitated by transgender and/or gender minority (TGM) adults (who are also mentors). TGMY will be paired with a TGM adult mentor, based on their shared interests. Mentors and mentees will participate together in each session along with other mentors and mentees. Mentors will direct activities and discussion to promote TGMY social-emotional skills. The TCP sessions will include one-on-one mentor-mentee break-out sessions.

Transgender and/or gender minority youth (TGMY) (i.e., any identity other than cisgender) experience concerning rates of mental health problems, self-harm, alcohol and drug use, sexual risk-taking, and violence victimization and perpetration. Minority stress theory states that peer and family rejection and internalized transphobia predict negative health outcomes in TGMY. This highlights the urgent need to identify effective programs that prevent psychosocial and behavioral health issues among TGMY. Mentoring programs may be especially impactful for TGMY, given that these programs may help alleviate adverse outcomes associated with peer and family rejection, and promote self-acceptance among TGMY. However, few mentoring programs exist specifically for TGMY, and those that do have not been rigorously evaluated; often require guardian permission; generally occur in person via community organizations--which excludes TGMY in high stigma, rural areas of the United States from participating; and rarely include evidence-based skill-building components (e.g., social-emotional skills).

The specific aims of this trial are as follow:

1. Assess acceptability and feasibility of the Teen Connection Project (TCP) through observations (to evaluate program delivery and observe mentor-mentee interactions), post-session surveys, and exit interviews with participants.
2. Generate preliminary data on the TCP's efficacy in reducing psychosocial and behavioral health issues facing TGMY, including mental health problems, self-harm, alcohol and drug use, sexual risk-taking, and teen dating violence.
3. Identify treatment options for TGMY.

The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate an online mentoring and skill-building program for transgender and/or gender minority youth (TGMY) ages 14 to 18, the Teen Connection Project (TCP). The TCP includes seven 90-minute sessions facilitated by transgender and/or gender minority (TGM) adults (who are also mentors). TGMY will be paired with a TGM adult mentors, based on their shared interests. Mentors and mentees will participate together in each session, along with other mentors and mentees. Mentors will direct activities and discussion to promote TGMY social-emotional skills. The TCP sessions will include one-on-one mentor-mentee break-out sessions.

Inclusion Criteria for Youth:

• identify as transgender and/or gender minority youth (TGMY) (i.e., any identity other than cisgender)
• be between the ages of 14 to 18 years
• read and speak English
• live in the United States
• report consistent access to a phone, tablet, and/or computer with high-speed internet access/Wi-Fi (which represents 90+% of youth in the United States)
• report an ability to attend seven, 90-minute online sessions at pre-determined times
• pass an assent quiz
• report moderate to high levels of internalized transphobia

Exclusion Criteria for Youth:

• be at imminent risk for suicide (e.g., intent to kill themselves in the immediate future) as determined by an initial online suicide screening regarding their past month suicide risk (the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised [SBQ-R]; modified to assess past month risk)
• demonstrate current psychosis as determined by the Prodromal Questionnaire; modified to just focus on visual and auditory symptoms

Inclusion Criteria for Mentors:

• be 30 years old or older
• identify as transgender and/or gender minority (i.e., any identity other than cisgender)

Exclusion Criteria for Mentors:

• not be currently experiencing substance use disorder or mental health challenges