2026/07/01 by Birgit Möller-Kallista, Agostino Mazziotta
Psychology · Health Professions · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare #Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
paper · doi:10.13109/prkk.2026.75.5.364
Gender Incongruence in Adolescence: A Qualitative Study on Belonging, Autonomy, and Competence among Transgender Youth Transgender adolescents develop their gender identity within social and institutional contexts that can either support or frustrate their basic psychological needs for belonging, autonomy, and competence. Empirical research in German-speaking contexts remains limited. This qualitative study draws on semi-structured interviews with 36 trans* adolescents aged 12-19 in Germany. Data were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, guided by Self-Determination Theory as a theoretical lens. Routine recognition practices - such as consistent name and pronoun use, collaborative decision-making, and transparent institutional procedures - strengthened self-worth, agency, and identity integration. Conversely, gatekeeping, discrimination, and structural inconsistencies produced chronic stress, identity management burdens, and social withdrawal. Parents occupied an ambivalent role, serving both as important sources of support and as gatekeepers to transition-related and healthcare processes. Peer support and community groups emerged as key spaces of collective resilience, gender euphoria, and empowerment. The findings suggest that gender identity development cannot be viewed solely as an individual phenomenon, but is substantially shaped by social and institutional conditions. The findings further indicate that supportive services and reliable structures of recognition may foster experiences of belonging, autonomy, and competence, thereby contributing to psychosocial wellbeing.