Beyond the Binary: Gender Inclusivity in Schizophrenia Research

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder with significant differences in the incidence and symptomology between cisgender men and women. In recent years, considerably more attention has been on the inclusion of sex and gender in schizophrenia research. However, the majority of this research has failed to consider gender outside of the socially constructed binary of men and women. As a result, little is known about schizophrenia in transgender and gender-nonconforming populations. In this review, we present evidence showing that transgender and gendernonconforming individuals have elevated risk of developing schizophrenia, and we discuss minority stress theory and other potential factors that may contribute to this risk. The need for inclusion of transgender and gendernonconforming communities in schizophrenia research is emphasized, alongside a discussion on considerations and challenges associated with this type of research. Finally, we offer specific strategies to make research on schizophrenia, and research on other neuropsychiatric disorders, more inclusive of those populations that do not fall within the socially constructed gender binary. If we are to succeed in the development of more personalized therapeutic approaches for all, a better understanding of the variability of the human brain is needed.

Automated summary

Schizophrenia research has largely ignored transgender and gender-nonconforming populations, resulting in limited understanding of their risk for the disorder. This review emphasizes the need for inclusion and discusses potential factors contributing to the elevated risk. Strategies for making research more inclusive are also offered.