Body Image and Personality Traits of Male-to-Female Transsexuals and Homosexuals

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify the body image and personality traits of male-to-female transsexual and homosexual persons in Turkey: 36 homosexuals and 52 male-to-female transsexuals were evaluated. According to the Body Cathexis Scale (Secord & Jourard, 1953) transsexuals compared with controls are statistically more satisfied with their waist, height, eyes, hips, legs, body posture and weight; dissatisfied with their body hair distribution, shoulder width and genitals. Homosexuals compared with controls are statistically more satisfied in height, sharpness of senses, hips, legs, sexual activity and body posture; dissatisfied in body hair distribution and genitals. It may be interpreted that transsexuals are identified with female body. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1978) revealed that transsexual participants have statistically higher mean neuroticism (N) scores than do controls.

Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in trans people: A systematic review of the literature

“…They concluded that whist sexual reassignment (i.e., hormones and/or Sex Reassignment Surgery; SRS) may increase body satisfaction for a trans person, enhancing body image should also take a more holistic stance, paying more attention to the psychological component of body image. In contrast to these findings, Bozkurt et al (2006) found that although there was some difference in body satisfaction with some parts of the body, body satisfaction did not significantly differ in homosexual people (n=36), trans females (n=52), and aged matched heterosexual cisgender people (n=72). They concluded that trans people experience similar levels of body dissatisfaction in comparison to homosexual and cisgender people.…”

“…Out of the 26 papers which met the criteria for inclusion in this review, 18 explored the prevalence of body image in a trans population Becker et al, 2015;Bozkurt et al, 2006;Colizzi et al, 2015;De Vries et al, 2011Fisher et al, 2013Fisher et al, , 2014Fleming, MacGowan, Robinson, Spitz, & Salt, 1982;Kozee, Tylka, & Bauerband, 2012;Kraemer, Delsignore, Schnyder, & Hepp, 2007;Lai, Chiu, Gadow, Gau, & Hwu, 2010;Lindgren & Pauly, 1975;Marone, Lacoella, Cecchini & Ravenna, 1998;Pauly & Lindgren, 1976;Smith, Van Goozen, Kuiper, & Cohen-Kettenis, 2005;Steensma, McGuire, Kreukels, Beekman, & Cohen-Kettenis, 2013;Wolfradt & Neumann, 2001). Three studies explored disordered eating in trans individuals (Ålgars et al, 2012;Khoosal, Langham, Palmer, Terry, & Minajagi, 2009;Silverstein, Carpman, Perlick, & Perdue, 1990).…”

“…Only one study employed an experimental research design (Marone et al, 1998). Of the 26 studies, only eight had a control group Becker et al, 2015;Bozkurt et al, 2006;Fleming et al, 1982;Pauly & Lindgren, 1976;Vocks et al, 2009;Wolfradt & Neumann, 2001;Witcomb et al, 2015). For four of these studies, their control group included participants from the general population (i.e., they did not have a diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria) (Becker et al, 2015;Fleming et al, 1982;Pauly & Lindgren, 1976;Wolfradt & Neumann, 2001).…”

“…Three studies compared data from a trans population to a cisgender population and to an eating disorder control group Vocks et al, 2009;Witcomb et al, 2015) and one study compared to a homosexual and cisgender control group (Bozkurt et al, 2006). Fourteen studies obtained an official DSM or ICD diagnosis which was determined by a clinician or a self-report measure Becker et al, 2015;Bozkurt et al, 2006;Colizzi et al, 2015;De Vries et al, 2011Fisher et al, 2013Khoosal et al, 2009;Kraemer et al, 2007;Lai et al, 2010;Smith et al, 2005;Steensma et al, 2013;Witcomb et al, 2015). In relation to sample size of trans participants, 12 studies had 100 or more trans participants, seven studies had 50-100 trans participants, and nine studies had fewer than 50 trans participants.…”

“…• Body-Cathexis scale (Secord & Jourard, 1953): This measure was employed by two studies reported on within this review (Bozkurt et al, 2006;Fleming et al, 1982) and was developed with a US college population. It assesses the strength and direction of feeling which the individual has about each part or function of their body and also includes 55 items that represent the various conceptual aspects of the self.…”