COMORBIDITY OF GENDER DYSPHORIA AND OTHER MAJOR PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES

Previous studies suggest that many transsexuals evidence an Axis I dia gnosis according to the DSM-IV classification (e.g. psychoses, major a ffective disorder). The current study examined retrospectively the com orbidity between gender dysphoria and major psychopathology, evaluatin g the charts of 435 gender dysphoric individuals (318 male and 117 fem ale). All had undergone an extensive evaluation, addressing such areas as hormonal/surgical treatment, and histories of substance abuse, men tal illness, genital mutilation, and suicide attempts. In addition a s ubgroup of 137 individuals completed the MMPI. Findings revealed over two thirds were undergoing hormone reassignment, suggesting a commitme nt to the real-life cross-gender process. One quarter had had problems with substance abuse prior to entering treatment, but less than 10% e videnced problems associated with mental illness, genital mutilation, or suicide attempts. Those completing the MMPI (93 female and 44 male) demonstrated profiles that were notably free of psychopathology (e.g. , Axis I or Axis II criteria). The one scale where significant differe nces were observed was the Mf scale, and this held true only for the m ale-to-female group. Psychological profiles as measured by the MMPI we re more ''normal'' in the desired sex than the anatomic sex Results su pport the view that transsexualism is usually an isolated diagnosis an d not part of any general psychopathological disorder.