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Abstract
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Before
Puberty blockers are a reversible pharmaceutical intervention used to support the mental health and well-being of young people experiencing two distinct medical conditions: precocious puberty and gender dysphoria. This study employs a series of list experiments to measure public support for prescribing puberty blockers to transgender and cisgender youth in the United States and the United Kingdom and compare these attitudes. Additionally, we examine public opinion on general and transgender-specific anti-bullying policies, as well as employment anti-discrimination protections for transgender workers. By comparing list experiment estimates with direct questioning, we also assess the extent of social desirability bias in these contexts. We will also study population beliefs and other attitudes and perceptions on LGBTQ+ topics and demographics.
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After
Puberty blockers are a reversible pharmaceutical intervention used to support the mental health and well-being of young people experiencing two distinct medical conditions: precocious puberty and gender dysphoria. This study employs a series of list experiments to measure public support for prescribing puberty blockers to transgender and cisgender youth in the United States and the United Kingdom and compare these attitudes. Additionally, we examine public opinion on transgender managers as well as employment anti-discrimination protections for transgender workers. By comparing list experiment estimates with direct questioning, we also assess the extent of social desirability bias in these contexts. We will also study population beliefs and other attitudes and perceptions on LGBTQ+ topics and demographics.
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Last Published
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Before
September 12, 2025 10:49 AM
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After
October 13, 2025 11:29 AM
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Primary Outcomes (Explanation)
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Before
i) The average differences-in-means between control and treatment groups from all lists for all key sensitive statements (using the list experiment data): this is the outcome variable that comes from our double list experiment technique. As explained in more detailed in the experimental design section of our pre-analysis plan registration, for a given sensitive statement, half of the subjects will see “List A” and “List B + Key Sensitive Item” and the remaining half will see “List A + Key Sensitive Item” and “List B”. We will take the difference in means based on the answers provided to “List A” and “List A + Key Sensitive Item”, next take the difference in means based on the answers provided to “List B” and “List B + Key Sensitive Item”, and then we will calculate the average of these two differences in means. This gives us the estimated share of the population with the key sensitive attribute.
ii) The answers to the direct sensitive questions (using the survey data): these are baseline estimates of the share of the population with the key sensitive attributes (without accounting for social desirability bias).
iii) The differences between i) and ii): this is the estimated size of the social desirability bias.
iv) The differences in i), ii), and iii) across all key statements: these are the differences in in attitudes using list experiment, direct survey, the size of the social desirability bias across all key statements. Key statements are indicated below.
v) The differences in i), ii), and iii) over time, when possible: these are the differences in in attitudes on employment discrimination using list experiment, direct survey, the size of the social desirability bias over time in comparison with Aksoy et al. (2025) (AEARCTR-0008820: https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.8820).
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After
i) The average differences-in-means between control and treatment groups from all lists for all key sensitive statements (using the list experiment data): this is the outcome variable that comes from our double list experiment technique. As explained in more detailed in the experimental design section of our pre-analysis plan registration, for a given sensitive statement, half of the subjects will see “List A” and “List B + Key Sensitive Item” and the remaining half will see “List A + Key Sensitive Item” and “List B”. We will take the difference in means based on the answers provided to “List A” and “List A + Key Sensitive Item”, next take the difference in means based on the answers provided to “List B” and “List B + Key Sensitive Item”, and then we will calculate the average of these two differences in means. This gives us the estimated share of the population with the key sensitive attribute.
ii) The answers to the direct sensitive questions (using the survey data): these are baseline estimates of the share of the population with the key sensitive attributes (without accounting for social desirability bias).
iii) The differences between i) and ii): this is the estimated size of the social desirability bias.
iv) The differences in i), ii), and iii) across all key statements: these are the differences in in attitudes using list experiment, direct survey, the size of the social desirability bias across all key statements. Key statements are indicated below.
v) The differences in i), ii), and iii) over time, when possible: these are the differences in in attitudes on transgender managers and employment discrimination using list experiment, direct survey, the size of the social desirability bias over time in comparison with Aksoy et al. (2025) (AEARCTR-0008820: https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.8820).
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Planned Number of Observations
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Before
Our goal is to run an initial pilot with 300 participants in the US first and then 300 in the UK to check whether there are any issues with the instructions, code or the software when using a representative sample in Prolific. We may make necessary adjustments to the study if we encounter any issues or participant feedback that would prompt such adjustments. If there are no issues, this sample will be combined with the actual experiment. Half of the participants in the pilot will not see the list experiments to test whether answering the list experiments affects the answers to the direct questions. We might slightly vary the size of the pilot if needed to increase statistical power.
Then, we plan to run the experiment with 8,000 participants in the US and 3,500 in the UK. This is the largest number of participants that Prolific can currently deliver when using a UK/US representative sample (Factors: sex, age, and political affiliation). If the maximum sample sizes allowed by Prolific vary before we start collecting the data, we may adjust our sample sizes accordingly (specifically the UK sample size). Conditional on funding availability, we may need to adjust the sample sizes accordingly.
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After
Following the initial pre-registration of our study, we collected pilot data from both the US and the UK. We collected pilot data on 750 participants in the US and 450 participants in the UK. We will include/exclude the pilot datasets from the analysis as a robustness check.
Planned number of observations for the main studies:
In the US:
900 participants will take the survey without the list experiment.
5850 participants will take the full survey including the list experiment and the direct questions.
In the UK:
600 participants will take the survey without the list experiment.
3500 participants will take the full survey including the list experiment and the direct questions.
The sample sizes are determined based on the max UK/US representative sample sizes (Factors: sex, age, and political affiliation) as well as budgetary constraints. Conditional on Prolific's sample size constraints and our funding availability, we may need to adjust the sample sizes accordingly.
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Secondary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
i) Population beliefs. This is the guessed percent of people in the general [US/UK] population who would agree to each key statement used in the list experiments.
ii) Additional survey questions to understand views on gender affirming care
iii) Additional survey questions measuring attitudes and perceptions on LGBTQ+ topics and demographics
iv) Comparisons between UK and US data
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After
i) Population beliefs. This is the guessed percent of people in the general [US/UK] population who would agree to each key statement used in the list experiments
ii) Additional survey questions to understand views on gender affirming care
iii) Additional survey questions measuring attitudes and perceptions on LGBTQ+ topics and demographics
iv) Comparisons between UK and US data
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