Body image in persons with gender dysphoria

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Endocrinology
• Sociology

Background:

• Body image is crucial for individuals with gender dysphoria, often linked to a desire for physical transition.
• Societal emphasis on beauty standards may exacerbate body dissatisfaction in this population.
• Understanding body dissatisfaction levels is key to providing appropriate support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare body dissatisfaction in gender dysphoria patients with clinical and general populations.
• To investigate potential gender-specific differences in body dissatisfaction among these patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized validated questionnaires: Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), Eating Disorder Inventory-two (EDI-2) body dissatisfaction sub-scale, and IMAGEN.
• Administered assessments to a cohort of patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Main Results:

• Body dissatisfaction scores, using specific cut-offs on the EDI-2 and IMAGEN, aligned with general population levels.
• Using a lower cut-off on the EDI-2, scores approached those of clinical populations.
• No statistically significant gender differences in body dissatisfaction were identified.

Conclusions:

• Individuals with gender dysphoria exhibit intermediate levels of body dissatisfaction between the general and clinical populations.
• While beauty ideals contribute to dissatisfaction, it remains considerably lower than in clinical cohorts.
• Findings suggest a unique position for gender dysphoria patients regarding body image perception.