Undergraduate Research Journal of Psychology at UCLA

It has been well-established that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Gender Dysphoria (GD)
are frequently Co-morbid. There have been treatments designed to ameliorate the two conditions
and how they interact, but they are not as comprehensive as they could be. These treatments
mainly deal with addressing the executive functioning difficulties exasperated by ASD to help
these patients take the steps necessary to begin or continue the transition process. In order to
transition, transgender youth must be able to understand and communicate abstract concepts like
their own gender identity to the gatekeepers of their gender-affirming treatment which can be
especially challenging to patients with ASD-related alexithymia. Once they do transition they are
also met with adapting to an entirely new set of social rules and expectations. Having ASD is an
often isolating experience and being transgender only adds to that challenge. Social skills
training through treatments like the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational
Skills (PEERS) could help them improve their communication skills and navigate life as their
affirmed gender.