Gomathi Sitharthan

The Needs of Gender-Variant Children and Their Parents: A Parent Survey

ABSTRACT Parents of children with gender-variant behavior, while doing their best to handle their childs preferences and needs, are forced to contend with societal bias and assumptions that allow their children to be marginalized. This exploratory investigation aims to provide a basis for supporting all children with gender variance and their parents by identifying their needs. An Internet survey was designed to elicit the experiences of parents with gender-variant children to identify the needs of both parents and children. Data were analyzed using content analysis to establish the major themes. The dominant identified needs for parents were related to finding correct information and obtaining professional support, parenting strategies, and peer support. The childrens primary needs were related to discussing their feelings, being accepted, and being supported to express their gender preference.

Predicting future anabolic-androgenic steroid use intentions with current substance use: findings from an internet-based survey.

Objective:To explore how current substance use, including the use of sports supplements and illicit drugs, may impact upon a persons future intentions to use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). Design:Web-based survey. Participants:Two hundred fourteen exercising males (mean age, 30 years; range, 17-61 years) recruited from 5 gymnasia in Sydney, Australia, completed a web-based survey. The survey contained questions relating to sport supplement use, illicit substance use, reasons for currently not using AAS, and reasons for intending to use AAS in the future. Interventions:Participants completed a structured interview schedule that included questions regarding licit and illicit substance use, reasons for non-AAS use, and, where appropriate, reasons for intended future AAS use. Main Outcome Measures:The planned main outcome measure was positive intention to use AAS. Results:Sixteen percent of the sample indicated that they would use AAS in the future. Reasons for future AAS use included increasing muscle size (80%), improving appearance (74%), and increasing strength (57%). Four-fifths (80%) of the sample reported use of sports supplements, with vitamins and protein supplements commonly reported (83% and 67%, respectively); more than one-third (36%) reported use of creatine in the past 6 months. Half (52%) of the sample reported use of illicit substances in the preceding 6 months, with amphetamines and cannabis commonly reported (66% and 62%, respectively). Significant predictors of intending to use AAS included past 6-month use of creatine and knowing AAS users. Conclusions:The use of sport supplements and/or illicit substances may remove barriers for the future use of such drugs as AAS. Future research is necessary to explore in depth whether such substances may act as a “gateway” to future AAS use.

Counseling support for the forgotten transgender community

The needs of people with nonconforming gender behavior are not homogeneous, for people who self-identify as transgender are not and should not be considered the same as individuals who self-identify as transsexual. Limited counseling resources are available for clinicians working with individuals who self-identify as transgender but have no desire to proceed to sexual reassignment surgery (SRS). Though it appears many of the recommendations for transsexuals are relevant for the broader range of transgender individuals, significant differences exist between them, warranting further investigation. This article presents a summary of approaches for gender-variant clients not matching the transsexual paradigm.

Online sexuality education and health professional students' comfort in dealing with sexual issues

A study of comfort level for discussing sex- and sexuality-related topics in a sample of allied health professional students shows an improvement in their comfort level after completing an online sexuality unit. This finding supports the argument that modern technology can offer an excellent opportunity and means to develop personal and professional skills in sex-related issues. Raising the comfort levels of health professional students will better prepare them for professional interaction on sexual issues they could encounter with their clients. Future research examining different ways to build not only comfort levels but also professional communication skills is warranted. Current and future research would aid in development of new programs based on distant education platforms, which could provide effective ways of appropriate sexual-interventions education for health professionals in clinical settings.

The Needs of Gender-Variant Children and Their Parents According to Health Professionals

ABSTRACT Children with gender variance and their parents struggle with negativity on a daily basis due to ignorance regarding their issues and needs. This study explored professionals’ views of these issues and needs via a qualitative Internet survey. Responses were examined using content and thematic analysis. The dominant identified needs for gender-variant children according to the professionals were to feel accepted, acknowledged and respected. Parents’ needs included emotional support and guidance, information, and access to competent, caring professionals. Implications of the studys findings were the need for professional training, funding for education and research, and efforts to reduce the social stigma associated with gender variance.

The efficacy of an opportunistic cognitive behavioral intervention package (OCB) on substance use and comorbid suicide risk: A multisite randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE People with substance use disorders who present with suicidal behavior are at high risk of subsequent suicide. There are few effective treatments specifically tailored for this population that diminish this risk. We aimed to assess the impact of an opportunistic cognitive behavioral intervention package (OCB) among adult outpatients with a substance use and comorbid suicide risk. METHOD A randomized controlled trial was conducted across 2 sites in which 185 patients presenting with suicide risk and concurrent substance use received either OCB (8 sessions plus group therapy) or treatment as usual (TAU) over a 6-month period. Primary outcomes were suicidal behavior (suicide attempts, suicidal intent and presence of suicide ideation) and level of drug and alcohol consumption. Secondary outcomes were changes in psychological measures of suicide ideation, depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy. RESULTS There were no completed suicides, and only 2 participants reported suicide attempts at follow-up. Suicide ideation, alcohol consumption, and cannabis use fell over time but no significant Treatment × Time differences were found. There were also no differences between OCB and TAU over time on psychological measures of depression, anxiety, or self-efficacy. Suicide ideation at 6-month follow-up was predicted by cannabis use and higher scores on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale at baseline. CONCLUSIONS The opportunistic cognitive behavioral intervention package did not appear to be beneficial in reducing suicide ideation, drug and alcohol consumption, or depression relative to treatment as usual.

Recognising the needs of gender-variant children and their parents

Gender variance confronts widely held assumptions that children born as males will act like ‘boys’ and children born as females will act like ‘girls’. This imposed binary has the effect of perpetuating negativity towards people who express themselves with gendered variations in attire, behaviour or preferences. Despite the existence of gender-variant individuals in every culture and throughout time, many people are unaware that diversity in gender expression and sexual formation is a naturally occurring phenomenon. This qualitative study aimed to establish the needs of gender-variant children and their parents in order to inform education programmes, policies and clinical approaches to gender variance. Three Internet surveys were conducted to explore the experiences of parents raising gender-variant children, the childhood experiences of transgender adults and the views of professionals who work with the transgender community. The needs of gender-variant children emerged in terms of the need for information, peer contact, personal gender expression, safety, and to be heard and accepted by their parents. The most common needs for parents were for information (stories from other parents, research and guidelines; peer support) and educational resources for schools, professionals and local communities. The paper provides comparisons between the three participant groups and recommendations for future research.

Brief opportunistic intervention: The role of psychologists in initiating self-change amongst problem drinkers

Excessive consumption of alcohol is a serious public health problem. While intensive treatments are suitable for those who are physically dependent on alcohol, they are not cost-effective options for the vast majority of problem drinkers who are not dependent. There is good evidence that brief interventions are effective in reducing overall alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, and health-care utilisation among nondependent problem drinkers. Psychologists are in an ideal position to opportunistically detect people who drink excessively and to offer them brief advice to reduce their drinking. In this paper we outline the process involved in providing brief opportunistic screening and intervention for problem drinkers. We also discuss methods that psychologists can employ if a client is not ready to reduce drinking, or is ambivalent about change. Depending on the clients level of motivation to change, psychologists can engage in either an education-clarification approach, a commitment-enhancement approach, or a skills-training approach. Routine engagement in opportunistic intervention is an important public-health approach to reducing alcohol-related harm in the community.

Alcohol versus placebo drinks in reducing feelings of sadness: Pilot study

Abstract The present study is the first to compare the effects of alcohol versus placebo drinks in reducing feelings of sadness. Fifty participants were randomly assigned to two groups: (a) participants told that they would receive alcohol and actually received alcohol (AC group); and (b) participants told that they would receive alcohol but were provided with placebo drinks (PG group). Mood ratings were obtained upon arrival, after negative mood induction and again after consumption of alcohol or placebo drinks. Both groups reported corresponding increments in negative mood following negative mood induction, and decreases in negative mood following alcohol or placebo drink consumption. Both groups reported similar levels of subjective intoxication. It is concluded that the expectancy factor plays a key role in reducing negative mood regardless of actual beverage consumption.

Masturbatory Behavior and Feelings: An Exploratory Study of Indian Immigrant Men in Australia

ABSTRACT Objectives: Sexual problems associated with masturbation (especially intense negative feelings) are commonly reported among Indian subcontinental men. Yet there is a paucity of scientific information about masturbatory behavior and feelings. Much of the available information is either from clinic-based studies or from studies involving young Indians. Methods: The present study, using a community sample of Indian men in Australia, aimed to explore their masturbatory behavior and feelings. Results: Overall, 268 men took part in an online survey, and 221 of these men completed the section on masturbation. Some demographic characteristics of the study sample were comparable to those of the Indian community in Australia. A large proportion (n = 174, 79%) reported that they currently masturbate, while the rest said they never masturbated (n = 9, 4%) or did masturbate in the past but not at present (n = 38, 17%). Among those who currently masturbate, the mean age of onset of masturbation was 14.9 years. Married men tended to masturbate less frequently than unmarried men. The most common mode, source of stimuli, and reason for masturbation were using hands (n = 162, 95%), watching erotic material on the Internet (n = 136, 81%), and to gain pleasure (n = 137, 79%), respectively. A high proportion (n = 114, 66%) of Indian men who currently masturbate said that they experienced positive feelings when masturbating. Conclusions: Masturbatory feelings of Indian men were found to differ by length of residence in Australia but not by degree of acculturation or age. The present exploratory study has provided baseline information about masturbation among Indian men and indicates the need for further research.