Abstract: Several studies have reported on the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gender dysphoria (GD), especially during adolescence. A specific treatment program for Dutch...Show moreAbstract: Several studies have reported on the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gender dysphoria (GD), especially during adolescence. A specific treatment program for Dutch adolescents with comorbid ASD and GD remains absent, while difficulties with self-worth and psychological wellbeing play a major role for this minority group. The current study investigates the effectiveness of a peer support group on the self-worth and psychological complaints of adolescents, using a pre- and post-test design. A total of 26 adolescents, 16 boys (61,5%) and 10 girls (38,5%) aged 13 to 24 (M = 18,92, SD = 2,30), were included. To assess self-worth and psychological complaints self-report questionnaires CBSA and SCL-90-R are used respectively, prior to and after finishing the intervention. A dependent t-test was used to compare the means of the measurement regarding self-worth and psychological complaints before and after the intervention took place. Results indicated that psychological complaints significantly reduced (t(22) = 2,56, p = ,02), while no effect was found on self-worth. A linear regression was used to test psychological complaints as a predictor of the effectiveness regarding self-worth. A trend was found in the positive direction, F(1,15) = 3,60, p = ,08. A higher level of psychological complaints in the pre-test predicts more overall improvement on self-worth. The results need to be interpreted with caution because of the small sample size and the absence of an experimental study design. Nevertheless, the research on the intervention contributes to the limited knowledge on treatment for adolescents with comorbid ASD and GD and shows significant reduction of psychological complaints after participating in the intervention, while taking the needs of adolescents with ASD and GD in regard.Show less
