ROGD Statement — Coalition for the Advancement & Application of Psychological Science

There is no evidence of ROGD and it forms part of a misinformation campaign that intends to stigmatise and limit access to evidence based care.

CAAPS Position Statement on Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD)

As an organization committed to the generation and application of clinical science for the public good, the Coalition for the Advancement and Application of Psychological Science (CAAPS) supports eliminating the use of Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) and similar concepts for clinical and diagnostic application given the lack of rigorous empirical support for its existence.

There are no sound empirical studies of ROGD and it has not been subjected to rigorous peer-review processes that are standard for clinical science. Further, there is no evidence that ROGD aligns with the lived experiences of transgender children and adolescents.

Despite the lack of evidence for ROGD and its significant potential for creating harm, it has garnered increased attention in the general public and is being misused within and beyond the field of psychology. For example, recent medical articles have started including ROGD in their overview of adolescents with gender incongruence, and there has been an increase in books, videos, podcasts, and training directed to parents and clinicians offering strategies for diagnosing and treating ROGD. The proliferation of misinformation regarding ROGD is also infiltrating policy decisions. Currently, there are over 100 bills under consideration in legislative bodies across the country that seek to limit the rights of transgender adolescents, many of which are predicated on the unsupported claims advanced by ROGD. Thus, even though ROGD is not a diagnostic classification or subtype in either the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), nor is it under consideration for inclusion in future editions, it is critical to address the misinformation regarding ROGD now.

Research on gender identity development in children and adolescents continues to evolve and these advances will likely influence diagnosis and empirically-based standards of care, as well as the legislative landscape impacting trans people’s access to care and legal protections. The available research is clear that transgender people are subjected to marginalization, stigmatization, and minority stress, which have significant detrimental effects on health and well-being. Terms, such as ROGD, that further stigmatize and limit access to gender-affirming and evidence-based care violate the principles upon which CAAPS was founded and public trust in clinical science.

CAAPS supports eliminating the use of ROGD and similar concepts for clinical and diagnostic application given the lack of empirical support for its existence and its likelihood of contributing to harm and mental health burden. CAAPS also encourages further research that leads to evidence-based clinical guidelines for gender-affirming care that support child and adolescent gender identity development. CAAPS opposes trainings that encourage others to utilize this concept in their clinical practice given the lack of reputable scientific evidence to support its clinical utility. Finally, CAAPS recommends expanding community education about these topics to reduce the stigma and marginalization that contribute to mental health burden.

Signatories

American Psychological Association (APA)

Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, American Psychological Association, Division 44

Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (SSCP)

Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (SCCAP), American Psychological Association, Division 53

Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM)

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)

Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)

National Association of School Psychologists

Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) Board

Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)

Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race

MSU Research Consortium on Gender-based Violence

State, Provincial and Territorial Psychological Association Affairs (Division 31, APA)

American Psychological Association, Division 22 Rehabilitation Psychology

New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP)

Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA)

Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP)

Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice (Division 37 of the American Psychological Association)

Society of Personality and Social Psychology

Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD)

Psychologists' Association of Alberta

Saint Louis University, Clinical Psychology Program

American Psychology-Law Society; Division 41 of APA

Michigan State University, Department of Psychology, Clinical Science Area

Psychologists in Public Service, American Psychological Association, Division 18

American Psychiatric Association

Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP), Division 54 of the American Psychological Association

Society for Research in Child Development

National Association of Psychological Research and Graduation Programs

Council on Social Work Education

Stony Brook University, Clinical Psychology Program

Michigan State University Twin Registry (MSUTR)

Society of Counseling Psychology, Division 17, American Psychological Association

National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA)

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

The Society of Clinical Psychology, APA Division 12

American Group Psychotherapy Association

University of Miami Department of Psychology

Portuguese Psychologists Association

Diverse Sexualities Research and Education institute

National Association of Social Workers

Puerto Rico Psychology Association

Association for Psychological Science

Connecticut Psychological Association

Howard Brown Health

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

British Columbia Psychological Association

World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)

Associations for Psychologists in Academic Health Centers

Nebraska Psychological Association

GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality

Michigan Psychological Association

Arizona Psychological Association

New Hampshire Mental Health Counselors Association

Florida Psychological Association

Minnesota Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT)

AIP— Italian Association of Psychology

Manitoba Psychological Society

Georgia Psychological Association

Vermont Psychological Association

Illinois Psychological Association

Delaware Psychological Association