Understanding The Experiences of Nonbinary People Accessing Mental Health Services

目前的研究表明，变性人约占总人口的0.4%，非二元人群约占总变性人的35%。因此，可以估计，大约有455，000名非二进制人生活在美国和英国，全球人口甚至更大。目前的研究还表明，跨性别者的心理健康压力明显高于普通人群。在跨性别群体中，非二元个体的心理健康困扰率甚至高于其他跨性别个体。虽然目前关于跨性别者在心理健康系统中的经历的研究有时包括一小部分非二元参与者，但目前还没有专门针对非二元人群心理健康经历的研究。这个定性的先验现象学研究项目将包括对至少20名在精神卫生系统中有经验的非二元个体的深入访谈。参与者将有机会分享他们所接受的心理健康服务的类型，他们是否认为他们的性别认同影响了他们的心理健康和随后的心理健康治疗，他们在心理健康系统中的整体体验，以及他们认为该系统可以如何改进。本研究旨在为心理健康研究中的非二进制声音提供一个平台。通过允许非二元人群在心理健康系统中分享他们的经验，这项研究不仅有助于提高非二元个体的整体知名度，而且还有助于告知心理健康专业人员如何改善为寻求心理健康治疗的非二元个体提供的服务。

Current research indicates that transgender people make up about 0.4% of the general population and nonbinary people make up approximately 35% of the overall transgender population. Therefore, it can be estimated that there are about 455,000 nonbinary people living in the United States and United Kingdom, with the global population being even larger. Current research also indicates that transgender individuals experience significantly higher rates of mental health stress than that of the general population. Within the transgender community, nonbinary individuals have been found to have even higher rates of mental health distress than that of other transgender individuals. Although current research regarding transgender people's experiences within the mental health system sometimes includes small percentages of nonbinary participants, there is currently no research specifically focused on the mental health experiences of nonbinary people. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological research project will include in depth interviews of at least 20 nonbinary individuals who have experience within the mental health system. Participants will be given the opportunity to share the type of mental health services they have received, whether they feel their gender identity has influenced their mental health and subsequent mental health treatment, what their overall experience within the mental health system has been, and how they feel the system can be improved. This study aims to provide a platform for nonbinary voices within mental health research. By allowing nonbinary people to share their experiences within the mental health system, this study will not only aid in improving the overall visibility of nonbinary individuals, but it may also help to inform mental health professionals on how to improve services provided to nonbinary individuals seeking mental health treatment.