Gender Dysphoric Patients Research Articles

The gender identity movement: a growing surgical-psychiatric liaison.

The evaluation and treatment of individuals with gender identity problems has resulted in an interesting and productive collaboration between several specialties of medicine. In particular, the psychiatrist and surgeon have joined hands in the management of these fascinating patients who feel they are trapped in the wrong body and insist upon correcting this cruel mistake of nature by undergoing sex reassignment surgery. Over the last two decades, some 40 centers have emerged in which interdisciplinary teams cooperate in the evaluation and treatment of these gender dysphoric patients. The model for this collaboration began at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where the Gender Identity Clinic began its operation in 1965 (Edgerton, 1983; Pauly, 1983). This "gender identity movement" has brought together such unlikely collaborators as surgeons, endocrinologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, gynecologists, and research specialists into a mutually rewarding arena. This paper deals with the background and modern era of research into gender identity disorders and their evaluation and treatment. Finally, some data are presented on the outcome of sex reassignment surgery. This interdisciplinary collaboration has resulted in the birth of a new medical subspecialty, which deals with the study of gender identification and its disorders.

Outcome of sex reassignment surgery.

Three independent reviews of the world literature dealing with the outcome of sex reassignment surgery in transsexualism are presented. In 10-15% of the patients who undergo sex reassignment the results end up in a failure. There are as many failures in the female to male group as in the male to female group. Optimal results from the surgical procedures are important for a successful outcome. Relatively high age when first requesting sex reassignment may be regarded as a risk factor for poor outcome. Genuine transsexuals as a group seem to have a better prognosis for successful outcome of sex reassignment than a group of secondary transsexuals (i.e. transvestites and effeminate homosexuals). On the other hand, secondary transsexuals do better than genuine transsexuals when sex reassignment is refused. It is stressed that great importance should be given to the differential diagnosis when evaluating gender dysphoric patients for sex reassignment.

Follow-up of females with gender identity disorders.

The present paper reports on the course of 15 young female-to-male transsexual applicants followed for 1 to 9 years after initial evaluation. Each patient completed a lengthy evaluation process including detailed semistructured interviews and a battery of psychological tests. Of the 15 applicants, 10 went on to live full time in the male role; however, one of these later returned to living as a female. This woman and three others were living as lesbians at last follow-up, while the two other patients continued to live in a more ambiguously male-female role. Psychosocial functioning at the time of follow-up in terms of employment, partners, and psychiatric status is reviewed. A supportive problem-solving psychotherapy program was offered to all of these patients and seven became actively involved in therapy. The potential benefits and limitations of psychotherapy with female gender dysphoric patients are discussed.

Sex reassignment surgery: historical, bioethical, and theoretical issues.

The reported 68%-86% overall success rates for sex reassignment surgery must be viewed cautiously; the lack of long-term follow-up studies makes these statistics misleading. There is evidence suggesting that some gender dysphoric patients benefit primarily from sex reassignment surgery. Most such patients, however, are secondary transsexuals who can benefit from various modes of psychotherapy. Sex reassignment surgery should only be considered as the last resort for a highly select group of diagnosed gender dysphoric patients. As physicians learn new ways to diagnose and treat transsexualism, either sex reassignment surgery will be abandoned as a routine treatment modality or new predictive variables for choosing suitable patients for sex reassignment surgery will be established.

Outcome of sex reassignment surgery for transsexuals.

Fifteen years ago the author reviewed the world literature on male transsexualism (Pauly, 1965). Subsequently he summarized the results of sex reassignment surgery for male and female transsexuals (Pauly, 1968), and reviewed the literature on female transsexualism (Pauly, 1974). Very recently, Meyer and Reter (1979) concluded that 'sex reassignment surgery confers no objective advantage in terms of social rehabilitation' as compared with a group of individuals who sought sex reassignment but remained unoperated upon at follow-up. Both groups improved over time and led the Johns Hopkins Gender Identity Clinic to conclude that sex reassignment surgery would no longer be offered there. This report, and other non-surgical, psychotherapeutic approaches to gender dysphoric patients (Barlow et al., 1973; Barlow et al., 1979; Lothstein and Levine, 1980) call into question the justification for sex reassignment surgery. Therefore, it becomes important to update the results of sex reassignment surgery for transsexuals. Data on 283 male to female transsexuals and 83 female to male transsexuals are presented.

The adolescent gender dysphoric patient: an approach to treatment and management.

The adolescent gender dysphoric patient: an approach to treatment and management.

The aging gender dysphoria (transsexual) patient.

Ten aging gender dysphoria patients (eight men and two women, average age 52 years) were the subjects of this study. All had presented to the Gender Identity Clinic at Case Western Reserve University requesting sex-reassignment surgery. A psychiatric-psychological profile of the patients, their sexual functioning, problems with aging, diagnostic issues, and follow-up are discussed. The aging gender dysphoric patient presents in acute crisis, that is, exhibiting marked depression, increased suicidal ideation and behavior, and urgent perception of time. Diagnostic and treatment recommendations for aging gender dysphoria patients and their depressions are provided. Furthermore, guidelines are suggested for differentiating the aging transvestite with transsexual symptoms and the aging transsexual for whom sex-reassignment surgery may be indicated. Specific treatment strategies for an aging population, including sexual surgery, are also discussed.

Group therapy with gender-dysphoric patients.

A two-year study utilizing expressive dynamic group psychotherapy with gender-dysphoric patients is described. Two distinct stages in the emergent therapeutic relationship are labeled and clinically evaluated. Specific strategies and goals and the problems and processes of running such a therapy group are discussed at length.

Countertransference reactions to gender dysphoric patients: Implications for psychotherapy.

Countertransference reactions to gender dysphoric patients: Implications for psychotherapy.