A Systematic Review of the Psychological Benefits of Gender-Affirming Surgery

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Key points

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    There is limited research examining how gender-affirming surgeries (GAS) specifically affect the mental health of individuals with gender dysphoria.

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    This article uses a systematic review to evaluate the existing literature on the psychological benefits of GAS.

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    Most of the studies included in this review indicate that GAS lead to multiple, significant psychological benefits among individuals with gender dysphoria.

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    Future research on this topic should focus on gathering more prospective data and

Search Strategy

Systematic searches were conducted by an experienced medical librarian across 7 databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE via Ovid, Cochrane CENTRAL via Ovid, PsyINFO via Ovid, CINAHL via Ebsco, LGBT Life via Ebsco, and Web of Science Complete. Searches included a comprehensive list of subject headings and keywords for 3 concepts of quality of life, gender-confirmation surgical procedures, and transgender persons. No date or language limits were applied in the searches; each search was run from

Results

In order to better draw conclusions about the psychological benefits of GAS, the results of this review were evaluated by separating studies with pre- and postoperative data for the identified sample and studies that examined between-group differences for individuals with and without GAS. Table 1 shows studies with pre- and postoperative data and Table 2 shows studies that examined between-group differences for those without and with GAS.

Discussion and implications for future research

There is a paucity of research examining how psychological functioning is affected by GAS. The aim of this review was to examine the existing literature on the psychological impact of GAS to understand to what extent these interventions may improve the psychological well-being of individuals with gender dysphoria. Overall, most studies included in this review found that many GAS have a significant, positive impact on several constructs associated with psychological well-being. Findings from

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