Psychological burdens are associated with young male transsexuals in Korea

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare differences of the psychological burdens between young male transsexuals and age-gender matched non-transsexuals with standardized psychiatric rating scales in Korea. A total of 43 biologically unrelated young male transsexuals and 49 age-gender matched non-transsexuals participated in the study. All subjects completed Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS), Self-Esteem Scale (SES) and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-III). The transsexuals showed significantly higher scores on the BDI (P < 0.0001) and SADS (P = 0.002) and lower scores on the SES (P < 0.0001) and Adaptability and Cohesion subscales (P = 0.016 and P < 0.0001, respectively) of the FACES-III than those of the non-transsexuals. The present study found young male transsexuals may be potentially vulnerable to develop psychiatric and familial problems in comparison with non-transsexuals, at least in Korea, although methodological limitations exist. Further welldesigned researches should be launched to confirm this preliminary study.

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Psychological Adjustment Among Transsexuals in Spain

“…There were no significant differences for this variable, which is consistent with the findings from other studies which also found no significant differences between MtF and FtM with respect to previous psychiatric treatment (De Cuypere et al, 1995;Dixen et al, 1984;Landen et al, 1998). Violent acts are experienced frequently by transgenders (Kim et al, 2006) and the LGB population (Kosciw et al, 2009;Toomey, Ryan, Diaz, Card, & Russell, 2010), and has been associated with social intolerance (Bergero-Miguel et al, 2008;Grossman & D'Augelli, 2006), even at an early age (Carver, Yunger, & Perry, 2003).…”

“…The mean score on the BDI test was higher in the transsexual sample compared with a sample (M = 5.93) of Spanish non-transsexual men and women (Sáenz & Vázquez, 1998). However, in the study by Kim et al (2006), the BDI score (M = 21.4) in transsexuals was considerably higher than in this study. Regarding the predictor variables of depression in transsexuals, the results were in line with studies conducted on non-transsexuals in which depression was related to interpersonal difficulties, unemployment or unpaid work and other mental health comorbidities (Bellón et al, 2011).…”

Societal Individualism Predicts Prevalence of Nonhomosexual Orientation in Male-to-Female Transsexualism

“…I sought to include studies from as many different countries as possible. I identified 22 eligible studies from 16 countries: Belgium (De Cuypere, Jannes, & Rubens, 1995), Brazil (Petry et al 2007), Canada (Blanchard & Sheridan, 1992), Germany (Eicher, Schmitt, & Bergner, 1991;Pfäfflin & Junge, 1990), Ireland (De Gascun, Kelly, Salter, Lucey, & O'Shea, 2006), Japan (Okabe et al, 2008), Korea (Kim et al, 2006), Malaysia (Teh, 2001), the Netherlands (Doorn, Poortinga, & Verschoor, 1994;Smith et al, 2005;Verschoor & Poortinga, 1988), Singapore (Tsoi, 1990), Spain (Gómez-Gil, Trilla, Salamero, Godás, & Valdés, in press), Sweden (Landén, Wålinder, Hambert, & Lundström, 1998), Switzerland (Rauchfleisch, Barth, & Battegay, 1998), Thailand (Winter, 2006), the United Kingdom (Green & Young, 2001;Muirhead-Allwood et al 1999), and the United States (Lawrence, 2005;Rehman, Lazer, Benet, Schaefer, & Melman, 1999;Schroder & Carroll, 1999). Data from these studies are summarized in Table 2.…”

“…Moreover, in individualistic countries, homosexual men who seek sex reassignment are likely to do so at younger ages than nonhomosexual men (Lawrence, 2005;Smith et al, 2005), usually by their late 20s. In collectivistic countries, homosexual men who undergo sex reassignment or begin living as women often do so in their teens or early 20s (Kim et al, 2006;Tsoi, 1990;Winter, 2006). Homosexual men this young are unlikely to hold positions of responsibility or influence in their societies.…”

“…Studies conducted in Korea (Kim et al, 2006), Malaysia (Teh, 2001), Singapore (Tsoi, 1990), and Thailand (Winter, 2006), for example, have found that fewer than 5% of MtF transsexuals studied were nonhomosexual. Many studies conducted in the United Kingdom (e.g., Green & Young, 2001;Muirhead-Allwood, Royle, & Young, 1999) and the United States (e.g., Lawrence, 2005;Schroder & Carroll, 1999), in contrast, have found that 75% or more of the MtF transsexuals studied were nonhomosexual.…”