A new study from Finland has found that adolescents and young adults who underwent gender reassignment treatment experienced worse mental health outcomes than those who did not.
The study, published in Acta Paediatrica, followed 2,083 individuals seeking medical services for gender confusion between 1996 and 2019. Researchers found that mental health problems were already far higher among this group before referral—45.7% compared to 15.0% in a control group—and rose further in the years that followed, reaching 61.7%. The authors found that psychiatric needs did not subside after medical gender reassignment.
The trend was even stronger among those treated more recently. Those referred after 2010 showed higher levels of psychiatric need both before and after entering the system.
Among adolescents who underwent feminising treatment, mental health problems increased sharply over time: from 9.8% to 60.7%. Among those receiving masculinising treatment, they rose from 21.6% to 54.5%. Overall, these adolescents were far more likely to suffer psychiatric problems—around three times more than female peers and five times more than male peers. The study concludes that severe psychiatric morbidity is common in youth undergoing ‘gender reassignment’ treatment and rising among more recent referrals.
The study found that many adolescents seeking gender treatment were already dealing with serious psychiatric problems—verifying conclusions from British Dr. Hillary Cass’s 2024 report. It also found that these problems often did not ease after medical intervention and, in some cases, grew worse over time. The authors warn that hormonal treatment can have complex psychological effects and say some patients may end up more distressed, not less.
The findings are likely to sharpen criticism of ongoing efforts to test puberty blockers on minors, including the UK’s paused Pathways Trial. Coming amid wider concerns about weak evidence and potential harms such as infertility, the Finnish study adds to growing pressure on the ‘treatment’ model.
The authors conclude that “the effects of medical GR (Gender Reassignment) and the expectations of the patient must be addressed before commencing the treatment,” highlighting the need for careful evaluation and management of mental health conditions before and after intervention.
