Assessment of Gender Diverse Children Incorporating the Standard of Care 8th Edition

Childhood is a distinct and critical developmental period in the life of any individual. During this time, children acquire massive amounts of information, including impor-tant foundational academic, social, and life skills. Psychological literature demon-strates that children can develop risks and resiliencies during this time period that can persist as trajectories of development through adolescence and adult-hood. Childhood is also an opportunity to shape experience in way that diminishes distress, promotes self-worth, confidence, and positive coping skills, and sets up a child to be able to traverse the stressors of life adaptively, and while drawing on strong and trusting established relationships. This is, thus, a critical time period for TGD youth, who are more likely than cisgender peers and siblings to encounter significant life stressors, and to be burdened with adversities not experienced by others such as gender minority stressors. The SOC 8 Child chapter is the first to illuminate best practices during these important years in a TGD young person's early life and to highlight ways in which well-being can be supported.