Feasibility of a co-designed group CBT intervention for trans young people (TAG TEAM)

Trial designThis was a two-arm parallel group feasibility trial of a co-designed group CBT intervention targeting gender minority stress in trans young people (TAG TEAM), with in-person and online intervention arms. MethodsParticipants were trans young people aged 14-16 years who were waiting to access gender-affirming care at a paediatric gender service in Victoria, Australia. Participants attended online or in-person intervention arms and completed assessments at baseline and post-intervention. There were ten feasibility and acceptability criteria related to the intervention and study design, which were evaluated against pre-defined benchmarks and used to assess feasibility and acceptability overall and in each intervention arm. ResultsTwenty-eight participants were enrolled and allocated to intervention groups (M age = 15.1, SD = 0.8; trans male = 53.9%; Anglo-Celtic = 53.9%). Overall, 4/10 feasibility and acceptability criteria related to the study design and intervention were met. Results for the remaining six criteria indicated the need for major modifications to improve the intervention usefulness, participant recruitment, and completion of outcome measures. While both delivery modes were feasible and acceptable, online delivery was considered more feasible and acceptable than in-person delivery. ConclusionsThe TAG TEAM intervention and study design are feasible and acceptable with modifications to the recruitment strategy, intervention, and outcome measures. A randomised controlled trial of TAG TEAM is planned for the future, and we will seek to improve the intervention and study design by further incorporating trans young people’s preferences into the trial.Trial registration numberAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; ACTRN12623000302651.