Home › Science & debate › Bias in gender research

Bias in gender research

Much research on transgender care recruits through specialised clinics.

Selection bias

Much research on transgender care recruits through specialised clinics. As a result, findings may not be representative of everyone with gender-related questions. In online surveys (for example Littman 2018) recruitment through specific communities also plays a role.

Loss to follow-up

Long-term studies frequently suffer from high dropout. When the participants who drop out differ from those who remain (for instance because detransitioners are less inclined to report back to the clinic), the picture becomes distorted.

Lack of control groups

Because of the nature of the field, RCTs are rare. Cohort studies often compare treated individuals with the general population, not with a comparable group of untreated transgender people — which complicates causal claims.

Publication bias

Studies with positive findings are published more often and more quickly. The systematic reviews from York and SBU explicitly noted the challenges around evidence quality in this field.