Gender and well-being in Luxembourg: comparison between cisgender and non-cisgender adolescents

Background: Well-being (WB) comprises a cognitive evaluation of life and the presence of positive and negative affects. In Luxembourg, it is well known that girls report lower levels of WB compared to boys. However, fewer studies have explored the levels of WB of non-cisgender adolescents in comparison to their cisgender peers.
Objective(s): Analyse the disparities within levels of WB by gender among youth in Luxembourg controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.
Methods: 5284 secondary schools adolescents participated on the HBSC Luxembourg survey 2022. They stated their sex registered at birth and gender identity (boy, girl, neither or other) and were divided in three groups: cisgender boys, cisgender girls and non-cisgender. Levels of WB was measured with WHO-5 Well-being Index and categorized as: at risk of depression, low mood and normal well-being. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to analyse the association between levels of WB by gender controlling by age, migration, perceived wealth and family structure.
Results: Non-cisgender represent 3.2% of the adolescents in Luxembourg. Cisgender boys and girls had lower ODDs to be at risk of depression than non-cisgenders adolescents (boys: OR=0.11, CI95%[0.08-0.17]; girls: OR=0.37, CI95%[0.26-0.54]). Compared to non-cisgender, boys presented lower ODDs to be in low mood (OR=0.32, CI95%[0.20-0.50]), while girls did not differ (OR=0.69, CI95%[0.43-1.09]).
Conclusions: Non-cisgender adolescents are an important minority in Luxembourg as they present higher risk of depression than their cisgender peers. Tailored interventions should developed to promote their mental health and well-being.