Psychological Testing With Transsexuals: A 30-Year Study

Abstract

This paper critically reviews over 30 years of psychological testing of transsexualism, during which time 41 studies have been published. A review of the psychological tests and methodology employed, the search for an adequate control group, and an analysis of the findings are presented. It is argued that we have reached a critical point in transsexual research. Researchers must reconsider the "hit or miss" approach to psychological testing with transsexuals and relate psychological testing to the actual clinical phenomenon of transsexualism; addressing the newer conceptualizations of transsexualism as a variant of borderline pathology.

Dysfunctional core beliefs, perceived parenting behavior and psychopathology in gender identity disorder: A comparison of male-to-female, female-to-male transsexual and nontranssexual control subjects

“…Thus, they are in line with views which do not regard GID a manifestation of psychiatric disorder (Bodlund et al, 1993;Cole et al, 1997;Haraldsen & Dahl, 2000). Our study both supports and contrasts with those that describe MF transsexuals as more distressed than their female counterparts (Blanchard, Steiner, & Clemmensen, 1985;Landén et al, 1998;Lothstein, 1984). Specifically, we observed differences in factors that are (with one exception) predisposing for psychiatric disturbances (and are not indicators of such disturbances per se).…”

Sociodemographic, Clinical, and Psychiatric Characteristics of Transsexuals from Spain

“…Differences in these features have also been reported between male to female transsexuals (MFs) and female to male transsexuals (FMs). Several studies have found that FMs have more stable occupations, are better adjusted socially, and present less psychopathology than MFs (for a review, see Lothstein, 1984;Michel, Mormont, & Legros, 2001). However, there is little information regarding the presentation of gender identity disorders (GID) in Spain Esteva de Antonio et al, 2001;.…”

Psychiatric comorbidity in gender identity disorder

“…Gender identity disorder (GID) is considered by some authors to be part of an underlying psychiatric morbidity, namely, borderline personality [1,2] or psychotic disorder [3], which, in the past, led to the recommendation to abandon sex reassignment altogether in patients with profound psychological dysfunction [2]. Other authors regard GID as a nosological entity and assume that psychiatric comorbidity is a consequence of the persistent gender dysphoria and the concomitant psychosocial distress [4][5][6][7].…”