A Self-Assessment Tool for Cultivating Affirming Practices With Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming (TGNC) Clients, Supervisees, Students, and Colleagues
Download the free TGNC-affirming checklist and audit your own practice in under ten minutes.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Leland et al. (2019) built a self-check list for behavior analysts.
The list asks you to rate how well you support transgender and gender-nonconforming clients, students, and co-workers.
It is a paper tool, not a study with people.
What they found
The paper does not give scores or data.
It simply shares the checklist so you can find your own weak spots.
How this fits with other research
Arango et al. (2023) widen the lens. They say the checklist idea works for any culture, not just TGNC issues.
Beaulieu et al. (2019) show most BCBAs feel culturally skilled yet had almost no diversity training. Their survey backs up why you need this honest self-check.
Topaz et al. (2026) warn that autistic gender-diverse teens often lose access to gender care. Using the checklist could help you catch and fix that barrier.
Why it matters
Print the checklist before your next supervision meeting. Circle items you skip with TGNC clients. Pick one to fix this week. Small edits—like asking pronouns or changing intake forms—build trust and keep kids in services.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add two questions about pronouns and chosen names to your intake form today.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
In the field of applied behavior analysis, professionals are likely to interact with transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) people, either as clients, in a supervision context, in the university classroom, or in the workplace. This paper presents a self-assessment checklist tool that can be used to assess one’s current behaviors of TGNC-affirming practices, along with guidance for using the tool to achieve growth in this area.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2019 · doi:10.1007/s40617-019-00375-0