The children of transgender and nonbinary parents who use effective parenting techniques demonstrate behavioral and emotional development similar to the kids of cisgender parents, according to a largest-of-its-kind study recently published in the journalInfant and Child Development.The study found that children of both kinds of parents exhibit similar psychological health outcomes. The authors say their research is a reminder that parenting quality not parental gender identity has the greatest impact on a childs well-being. But their research also had another surprising and significant finding: Even though trans and nonbinary parents experience higher depression levels due to societal discrimination, their kids dont, which suggests that non-cisgender parents use special strategies to shield their kids from their personal stress. Related Im a transgender b*tch who dont play about my kid: A trans mom on raising a resilient trans son The study, which was conducted between 2016 and 2017, examined the parents and children of 138 trans and nonbinary parents over the age of 18 who had at least one child over age 12. The parents answered questions online about their parenting techniques, stress, personal well-being, and depressive symptoms, as well as their childs well-being and externalized behaviors (like aggression and defiance) or internalized behaviors (like depression and anxiety). All of the questions came from standard surveys regularly used in these sorts of clinical assessments, MedicalXpress.com reported.Researchers then compared the survey results to those given by cisgender parents in past studies that used the same survey measures. The studys authors found that the overall well-being and emotional behaviors of the children of trans parents were indistinguishable from those of cisgender parents. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Authors noted that every childs well-being and emotional behaviors were most affected by their parents use of effective parenting techniques. Such techniques include supporting positive behavior,setting limits,proactive (rather than reactive) parenting, an authoritative (rather than permissive) style, andoverall parenting satisfaction.Overall, parents who experience higher levels of parenting stress, which can be worsened by being a poor or single parent, tend to have kids who express greater emotional and behavioral challenges. Trans and nonbinary parents reported higher levels of depression often due to the stress ofidentity disclosure, restricted healthcare access, lack of social support, lower socioeconomic standing, as well as any divorces and child-custody battles that result from one parents gender transition. The authors noted that previous research foundthat depressed parents typically have kids with higher rates of behavioral challenges and depression as well, and the absence of this pattern in trans and nonbinary parents suggests that they may be doing unique things to shield their children from discriminatory stress.We previously found that they take amore child-centered approach to gender developmentand demonstrate flexibility with traditional gender role expectations, study co-author Rachel Riskind, professor emerita of psychology at Guilford College, said. This new finding suggests they may also be protecting their children from social stressors in ways that deserve systematic study. These practices might offer insights applicable to all families navigating external challenges. The study noted that LGBTQ+ parents differ from cisgender and heterosexual parents by maintaining open family and parentchild communication, preparing children for potential stigma and bias, providing educational resources about family structure, and intentionally introducing children to peers with diverse family structures. These strategies may be among those used by trans and nonbinary parents to shield their kids from depression and stress.The researchers hope these findings can helpmore healthcare providers,legal experts, educators, and other professionals who work with families make better, evidence-based decisions to assist trans and nonbinary parents in cases of family law,healthcare,and support systems.The study also noted that approximately 20%50% of transgender people are parents, and that many others want to become parents in the future.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.