Related Experiment Videos
Traits of separation anxiety in boys with gender identity disorder
K J Zucker1, S J Bradley, C B Lowry Sullivan
1Child and Adolescent Gender Identity Clinic, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Objective:
To assess the presence of traits of separation anxiety disorder in boys referred clinically for gender identity disorder.
Method:
One hundred fifteen boys were referred to a specialty clinic for concerns about their gender identity development. They were divided into two subgroups: one group met the complete diagnostic criteria for gender identity disorder; the other group did not meet the complete diagnostic criteria. The mothers of the boys were administered a structured interview schedule pertaining to separation anxiety disorder according to DSM-III criteria.
Results:
A conservative definition of separation anxiety disorder showed no significant association with gender identity disorder; however, a liberal definition of separation anxiety disorder showed that it occurred significantly more often in the subgroup of boys who met the complete criteria for gender identity disorder than in the subgroup who did not meet the complete criteria (64.4% versus 38.1%, respectively).
Conclusions:
Boys with gender identity disorder show a high rate of co-occurring traits of separation anxiety. Reasons for this linkage require additional empirical study.