Summer of 2022 ROGD Survey Results

From August through September 2022, a survey was circulated within private forums to parents of sons with Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria. These private groups were formed to provide support for parents who are skeptical of their son’s sudden self-diagnosis as “trans,” and generally cautious about the popular model of “affirmation” offered by therapists, schools, and medical practitioners.

As the forums were created for parents whose sons fit a Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria profile, the sons do not represent typical childhood-onset gender dysphoria patterns. Two earlier surveys in 2021 confirmed that these boys were “typically boyish” in childhood, showing interest in masculine activities and behaviors, and no interest in “girl” activities or behaviors. These boys also acknowledge a rather rapid-onset of dysphoria, with an average time between “considered they were trans” and “announced they were trans” to parents of around 9 months. These earlier surveys also uncovered high rates of anxiety (67%), depression (54%), ADHD (54%), and Autism and autism-like behaviors (50%). High rates of giftedness and poor social skills were also notable.

This 2022 survey was conducted to assess if new patterns were evolving, or if the patterns were remaining fairly consistent from the previous year. This 2022 survey was taken by 124 separate parents, but some respondents skipped particular question. Pay careful attention to the “Answered” verses “Skipped” number under the survey graph title.

Findings

The majority of these boys announced they were trans during puberty, with two waves corresponding to the age they enter high school (age 14) and college (age 19).

Families with ROGD sons appear to have elevated rates of experience with death/chronic illness or a major upheaval.

Rates of anxiety, depression, isolation and trauma for ROGD boys were high before they announced.

Rates of depression, anxiety, and cutting INCREASED after sons announced, but social isolation decreased. Note that the rates of suicide ideation doubled from around 18% to 35%, but the rates of attempted suicide remained fairly stable around 4%, which notably lower than the CDC statistics for straight high school students.

Note: the number of respondents shifted between these two “before” and “after” questions.

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A large majority of parents believe that COVID played a role in creating or worsening their sons sense of gender dysphoria.

As earlier surveys suggested, these boys with ROGD are disproportionately high IQ.

As earlier surveys suggested, these boys are socially awkward.

As earlier surveys suggested, these boys were gender confirming as young children.

For many of these boys, their “trans behavior” is not persistent or consistent nor evident outside the home.  

Around half the sons are actively presenting as trans, around 30% are inconsistent, and around 10% are desisted.

Around 30% of these boys are probably gay or bisexual.

Around 18% are “Who knows? He’s really pre-sexual – it’s too early to know.”

At least a thirty percent of boys are unsure of their sexuality.

The greatest number parents of ROGD sons follow a “watch and wait” model.

Post announcement, most sons remained or became depressed.

Patterns between Approaches and Outcomes

By filtering response, it is possible to try to see if any patterns between family approaches and outcomes is noticeable.

For the 28 “Hard No” parents, who clearly stated their opposition to a trans identity, 50% of their sons continue to actively and persistently identify as trans; 14% of their sons passively, inconsistently identify as trans; 14% are presently desisting (over 2 weeks no behavior); 11% are desisted (over 6 months no behavior); and 11% are unknown – the son is out of the home.

In comparison, for the 3 parents who chose to affirm their sons preferred gender with names, clothing, and pronouns, 67% of their sons continue to actively and persistently identify as trans, and 33% are presently desisting (over 2 weeks no behavior).

Of the 17 sons who are presently desisting/desisted, 1 had parents who “affirmed,” 8 had parents who “watched and waited,” 4 had parents who were “hard no,” and 4 had parents who were “other,” (generally a combination of approaches).

Conclusions

While this survey is not scientific, it does offer one of the few pieces of evidence to measure patterns within the cohort of ROGD boys. The rates of isolation, anxiety, depression, ADHD, ASD, giftedness, awkwardness, and lack of gender-non-conformity within childhood remain high. The rates of inconsistency of behavior and the rates of desistance suggest that trans identity is very fluid during adolescence. The correlation between family approaches and outcomes are too tenuous to draw conclusions from, but suggest that there is no direct causation between approach and outcome.