Ch
13 SEXUAL DISORDERS
GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER
- Strong and
persistent cross-gender
indentification (desire to be the
other
gender)
- Persistent
discomfort with one's
anatomical sex
- Significant
distress
or impairment
is present
Etiology
- Biogenic
- Hormonal
imbalance
during prenatal
development
(exposure to
higher than
average levels of hormones related to the opposite sex)
Subjects with gender identity disorder who had male to female surgery
had "bed nucleus of stria termanilis cells" only half as large normal
men. (autopsy data). This suggests that men who develop gender identity
disorder have a key biological difference that leaves them
uncomfortable with their assigned sex characteristics.
- Psychoanalytic
- Inability to
resolve oedipal
conflict
- Behavioral
- Inappropriate
learning
(i.e. parental
encouragement
of feminine behavior)
Treatment
- Biogenic
- Hormones
- (of the
adopted
sex - in
order to facilitate development of physical characteristics) (EX.
MALES ARE GIVEN ESTROGEN TO HELP DEVELOP BREASTS AND MAKE FACIAL &
BODY HAIR DISAPPEAR WHILE TESTOSTERONE IS GIVEN TO WOMEN TO INCREASE
MUSCLE
MASS AND CAUSE BODY & FACIAL HAIR TO DEVELOP).
- Surgery
(preceded by 1-2 yrs of hormone therapy)
(remove existing
reproductive
organs & construct new genitalia) (psychological outcome of
procedure not clear)
- Behavior
Modification
