Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Dissociative Identity Disorder01:30

Dissociative Identity Disorder

544
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously termed multiple personality disorder, is a complex psychological condition characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states. Each identity exhibits unique patterns of behavior, voice, and mannerisms and may possess separate memories and emotional responses. The alternating control between identities can result in memory gaps and challenges in recalling daily activities, often exacerbating the individual's...
544
Anorexia Nervosa01:28

Anorexia Nervosa

808
Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
808
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects01:29

Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

248
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
248
Introduction to Psychological Disorders01:19

Introduction to Psychological Disorders

917
Abnormal behavior, often referred to as mental illness, results from changes in brain function that influence thought patterns, behaviors, and social interactions. Psychologists and psychiatrists typically assess abnormal behavior using three primary criteria: deviance, maladaptation, and personal distress, particularly when these traits persist over long periods.
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
917
Conduct Disorder01:28

Conduct Disorder

424
Conduct disorder is a complex mental health diagnosis characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior that violates societal norms, the rights of others, or age-appropriate rules. The diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder require the presence of at least three problematic behaviors within the past 12 months, with at least one occurring in the past six months. These behaviors are grouped into four categories: aggression toward people and animals; destruction of property;...
424
Schizophrenia01:17

Schizophrenia

635
Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those...
635

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Loneliness as lack of solidarity: The case of Palestinians standing alone.

Bioethics·2024
Same author

Shaping children through genetic and environmental means.

Journal of medical ethics·2023
Same author

Incentivising civility in clinical environments.

Journal of medical ethics·2023
Same author

Feminist Concerns About Artificial Womb Technology.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2023
Same author

Digital surveillance in a pandemic response: What bioethics ought to learn from Indigenous perspectives.

Bioethics·2022
Same author

Moral Enhancement Where It Would Make the Most Difference.

AJOB neuroscience·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 1, 2026

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies
06:24

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies

Published on: January 10, 2025

1.3K

Is 'gender disappointment' a unique mental illness?

Tereza Hendl1, Tamara Kayali Browne2

  • 1The Institute of Ethics, History and Theory of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, Munich, Germany. tereza.hendl@lmu.de.

Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy
|December 23, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Gender disappointment, a parental sadness over a child's sex, is not a unique mental disorder. Distress is real and requires psychological support, rooted in gender essentialism.

Keywords:
Gender disappointmentGender essentialismMental disorderMental illness diagnosisSex selection for social reasons

More Related Videos

A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice
06:15

A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice

Published on: July 15, 2025

1.1K
Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
12:55

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

8.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 1, 2026

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies
06:24

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies

Published on: January 10, 2025

1.3K
A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice
06:15

A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice

Published on: July 15, 2025

1.1K
Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
12:55

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

8.9K

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Gender Studies

Background:

  • 'Gender disappointment' describes parental sadness when a child's sex does not match parental desire.
  • This phenomenon is often cited as a motivation for sex selection.
  • It is frequently discussed as a mental disorder across various platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if 'gender disappointment' constitutes a distinct diagnostic category.
  • To analyze the framing of 'gender disappointment' in public discourse and among parents.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and conceptual analysis.
  • Examination of discourse in media, online forums, and interview data related to sex selection.

Main Results:

  • 'Gender disappointment' does not present unique diagnostic criteria, symptoms, or therapeutic approaches distinct from existing mental health categories.
  • The distress experienced by parents is acknowledged as genuine and necessitating psychological intervention.

Conclusions:

  • 'Gender disappointment' is not a unique mental illness diagnosis.
  • Parental distress in this context is linked to gender essentialist beliefs.
  • Addressing this distress requires both individual psychological support and societal-level engagement with gender essentialism.