Personality traits and disorders among transsexuals

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Personality disorders are complex mental health conditions.
• Accurate diagnosis of personality disorders is crucial for effective treatment.
• Previous research has explored the psychological profiles of transsexual individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of Axis II (personality) disorders in a group of transsexual individuals.
• To compare the prevalence of personality disorders in transsexuals versus a control group.
• To evaluate the utility of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID screen) for diagnosing personality disorders in this population.

Main Methods:

• A group of 19 transsexual individuals (9 male, 10 female) and 133 controls were assessed.
• The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID screen) was used for Axis II diagnoses.
• Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) was used as a functional criterion.

Main Results:

• Personality disorders were identified in 5 of 19 transsexual individuals, with a majority having multiple diagnoses, primarily within cluster B.
• No personality disorders were identified in the control group.
• Transsexual individuals showed significantly more subthreshold personality pathology in 8 of 12 categories compared to controls (29% vs. 17% overall criteria fulfilled).

Conclusions:

• Transsexual individuals exhibit a higher prevalence of personality disorders and subthreshold personality pathology compared to the general population.
• The SCID screen demonstrated good agreement with clinical Axis II diagnoses and is a useful tool for assessment.
• Diagnostic challenges within DSM-III-R concerning gender identity disorders warrant further discussion.