A psychological profile of the transsexual. II. The female

Abstract

This research introduced standardized psychological measurement into the clinical assessment of the female transsexual. Twenty females with a presenting complaint of gender dysphoria were carefully screened to ensure high correspondence between their clinical pictures and current nosological concepts of transsexualism. All were administered the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory as a part of their initial clinical work-up, and their profiles were contrasted with those of a comparison group of 143 heterosexual females. Results indicated hypermasculine gender role definitions and fantasy themes among the transsexual group with decrements in terms of sexual information and range of sexual experiences. The transsexual females revealed moderately dysphoric affect profiles but were unremarkable in terms of psychological symptoms. Overall, there was evidence of reductions in sexual drive; however, this result was highly dependent upon which indicator of drive was employed. The opportunity to obtain a systematic psychometric evaluation of this fascinating clinical group is viewed as a significant step in gaining an ultimate understanding of their condition.