[Borderline personality disorder and transsexualism]

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Gender Studies

Context:

• Investigating the co-occurrence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and gender identity disorder (GID).
• Challenging the common assumption of a higher prevalence of BPD symptoms in transsexual populations.
• Utilizing validated psychological inventories to assess personality traits and symptoms.

Purpose:

• To determine if transsexual individuals exhibit a higher incidence of borderline personality disorder symptoms compared to the general population.
• To explore potential correlations between gender identity and the manifestation of BPD symptoms.
• To differentiate between primary psychiatric disorders and gender identity concerns.

Summary:

• A study of 164 transsexual individuals using the Borderline-Personality Inventory (BPI), Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI), and Questionnaire for Assessment of One's Own Body (FbeK).
• Results indicated that 80% of participants showed no symptoms of BPD or other personality disorders.
• When borderline symptoms were present, they correlated with depressivity, low composure, low sociability, and appearance-related confidence issues.

Impact:

• The findings refute the assumption of an increased link between borderline personality disorder and transsexuality.
• Suggests that BPD is primarily a psychiatric condition, distinct from gender identity disorder.
• Highlights that secondary borderline symptoms may arise in some individuals with gender identity disorder due to various factors.