Groups in the support of children who are transgender or questioning their gender identity: A review of the literature and presentation of an innovative group

Trans identities are increasingly a focus of interest in France and throughout the world. Most forms of trans identity in the prepubescent child will not give rise to a demand for transitioning in adolescence or adulthood. This is not the case for the forms occurring in adolescents, which are more stable and most often will lead to a demand for gender transitioning. Treatment modes for transgender children and adolescents – or are questioning their gender identity – are collaborative and subject to updates and recommendations from certain international societies. Nevertheless, the precise role of group interventions remains to be defined. This article will review the literature, distinguishing the groups that work with the child, the adolescent, and the parents. It will also present an innovative treatment arrangement based on two mono-generational groups that meet successively. The purpose of the first group is to support children aged 7 to 11 years whose gender identity is not congruent with the gender they were assigned at birth, means of the mediation of a multidisciplinary team using a game of “let's pretend”. The second group brings their parents together to address trans identity issues from a perspective of support rather than of parental guidance.