Signature Research Paper: Gender Dysphoria in Youth

Koni Christensen Salt Lake Community College

by Dani M. Lo Feudo

Introduction: Gender Dysphoria is a topic of much debate as it is associated with social stigmas, rigid stereotypes, and plenty of misconceptions regarding its root causes and successful treatments in this day and age. Although the American Psychiatric Association does not deem Gender Dysphoria itself as a mental disorder, the significant emotional distresses associated with this condition are seriously taken into consideration. This paper provides a short discussion on Gender Dysphoria in young children definition, causes, characteristics, signs and tests, treatments and expectations, complications - and relevance. Discussion: Gender Dysphoria, formerly known as Gender Identity Disorder (GID) prior to the 2013 revision of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS-V) published by the American Psychiatric Association, is a condition in which a persons biological gender does not match that which is expressed or experienced by that person. According to revised DMS-V criteria, gender nonconformity is not considered a mental disorder in and of itself. However, the critical element associated with this condition is the significant emotional distress experienced by those struggling with it. Although no known cause has been identified, gender dysphoria is highly linked to genes, hormones, social and environmental factors, emphasizing the nature-versus-nurture concept. Moreover, there is no evident direct correlation between gender dysphoria and homosexuality. The condition is characterized by ones disgust with his or her own genitals, belief of growing up to become the opposite sex , verbalized wish to be a member of the opposite gender, depression, anxiety, poor self-concept, low self-esteem, peer rejection, social isolation, suicide in teen years. Test and signs of the condition include
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psychiatric assessments of persistent fixation with being in a body of the wrong gender for

at least 6 months. The goal and expectations of treatment aims at relieving the emotional distress by creating a nurturing and supporting home and school environment through family and individual counseling; doing so early increase likelihood of reducing complication associated with the condition. Complication associated with gender dysphoria includes anxiety, depression, poor self-concept, low self-esteem, social isolation, emotional distress and suicide in teen years. Other observations for consideration found in past and current research regarding the condition include (but are not limited to) lack of reliability in the diagnosis, rigid gender stereotypes and social norms, gender role expectations, cultural variances on behavior expectation, acceptance and/or tolerance, the controversial reparative therapies which may cause further shame and damage. Nonetheless, professionals should focus on the demystification of the condition through education, civil engagement and social awareness about gender dysphoria as means to broaden indirect treatment to individuals struggling with the condition at the societal level. Conclusion: Gender dysphoria is a gender nonconformity condition that is still very misunderstood and mistakenly associated with homosexualism. If untreated, it has devastating consequences due to the significant emotional distresses experienced by those struggling with it. Research has provided evidence of biological, social and environmental factors that may contribute to gender dysphoria. Even though some may argue diagnosis lack reliability, a diagnosis must be held for 6 months where children suffer great

emotional distress for expressing or experiencing a gender that contradicts the biological gender others would assign to them. Family and individual counseling are the best forms of treatment at young age. Expectations of gender roles, rigid stereotypes, behavior acceptance and tolerance may vary from culture to culture. More awareness, compassion and acceptance are very likely to lessen emotional distress on those dealing with gender dysphoria (namely, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, social isolation, poor self-concept, and suicide in teen years). References: American Psychiatric Association www.psych.org American Psychiatric Publishing - DMS-V (2013) www.appi.org American Academy of Pediatrics/healthychildren.org www.healhtychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/pages/gender-indentity-andgender-confusion-in-school-age-children.html Association of Women in Psychology. Gender Interrupted: controversy about gender identity disorder (GID). http://www.awpsych.org/index.php/bias-in-psychiatricdiagnosis-dsm-v-portal/74-bias-in-psychiatric-diagnosis-dsm-v/bias-in-psychiatricdiagnosis-dsm-v/96-gender-interrupted-controversy-a-concerns-about-gender-identitydisorder-gid National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health/PubMed www.ncbi.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/pmh0002495/?report=printable Wallien, M. S. Cohen-Kettenis, P. T. (2008) Psychosocial outcomes of gender-dysphoric children. Journal of American Academy of Child & Adolescence Psychiatry. 47(12):1413-23