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A parent-report gender identity questionnaire for children
Laurel L Johnson1, Susan J Bradley, Andrea S Birkenfeld-Adams
1Child and Adolescent Gender Identity Clinic, Child, Youth, and Family Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health--Clarke Division, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|May 18, 2004
Summary
This study validates a parent-report Gender Identity Questionnaire (GIQ) for assessing children with gender identity concerns. The GIQ demonstrates strong psychometric properties, making it a useful screening tool for clinicians.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Psychometrics
- Gender Identity Research
Background:
- Assessing gender identity development in children is crucial for early intervention.
- Existing assessment methods can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
- A reliable parent-report measure is needed for efficient screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of a 16-item parent-report Gender Identity Questionnaire (GIQ).
- To determine the GIQ's utility in differentiating children with gender identity concerns from controls.
- To assess the GIQ's reliability and validity for clinical screening.
Main Methods:
- A 16-item parent-report Gender Identity Questionnaire was administered to parents of gender-referred children (N=325) and controls (N=504).
- Factor analysis was used to determine the underlying structure of the questionnaire.
- Psychometric properties, including internal consistency, discriminant validity, and diagnostic accuracy, were assessed.
Main Results:
- Factor analysis supported a one-factor solution for 14 of the 16 items, explaining 43.7% of the variance.
- Gender-referred children scored significantly higher on the GIQ than controls (large effect size, 3.70).
- The GIQ showed good diagnostic accuracy with 86.8% sensitivity at 95% specificity and negligible age effects.
Conclusions:
- The parent-report Gender Identity Questionnaire possesses excellent psychometric properties.
- The GIQ is a valid and reliable screening instrument for identifying children with potential gender identity issues.
- This questionnaire offers a practical tool for front-line clinicians to aid in early assessment.