Aspects of psychosexuality and personality of maleto- female and female-to-male transsexuals evaluated by Szondi projetive test / Aspectos da psicossexualidade e da personalidade de pacientes autodenominados transexuais masculinos e femininos avaliados pelo teste projetivo de Szondi

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

Transsexualism is a disorder of sexual identity associated with strong and persistent identification with the opposite sex. There are few studies concerning the use of psychological tests as diagnostic tools for transsexualism. The objective of this study was to assess the psychosexual aspects of self-denominated transsexuals through the Szondi test. Retrospective and prospective study in which patients were firstly assessed through free interviews. monitoring psychotherapy, with assessment of DMS-IV diagnostic criteria for transsexualism from the American Psychiatric Association followed by the HTP projective personality test. The Szondi test was applied 5-10 times to each subject to quantitatively assess the Dur-Moll psychosexual reactions. Subjects: 105 self-determined transsexuals (78 men); control group: 109 selfdetermined heterosexuals (55 men). Twenty-two male subjects and 10 female subjects were defined as transsexuals DMS-IV diagnostic criteria for transsexualism from the American Psychiatric Association followed by monitoring psychotherapy. Statistical analysis of the variables obtained in SZONDI and HTP projective tests were evaluated by non-parametric tests. Results: In the male group, there was a predominance in total Moll proportion and in Moll proportion at the sexual and ego vectors in transsexuals compared to heterosexual and not specified gender identity disorder groups (p <0.05). The sensitivity of the SZONDI test to identify female gender identity in men was 80%, specificity 86% and accuracy 83% while the sensitivity of the H-T-P test was 88%, specificity 54% and accuracy 72%. In the female group total Dur proportion and Dur proportion at ego vector was predominant in transsexuals compared to heterosexual and not specified disorder of gender identity groups (p <0.05). The sensitivity of the SZONDI test to identify male gender identity in women was 94%, specificity 67% and accuracy 85% while for H-T-P test the sensitivity was 94%, specificity 33% and accuracy 73%. After surgery all transsexuals patients were happy but with some frustration with the transgender process limitation but with significant improvement of social and family contacts. Discussion: The validation of psychological tests for diagnosis of gender identity disorders is of great importance considering the increasing number of patients with sexual identity disorder seeking treatment. In the present study we analyzed the properties of SZONDI and H-T-P tests in a group of patients with of gender identity disorders classified by current criteria. We found that the accuracy of the SZONDI test was higher than the H-T-P test in the diagnosis of transsexualism due to greater specificity with similar sensitivity. Furthermore, the detection of mental disorders by SZONDI test, which may be the cause or effect of the gender identity disorder, can alert the psychotherapist in the indication of transgender surgery. Conclusion: The SZONDI test showed to be an excellent tool for transsexualism diagnosis in both sexes

ASSUNTO(S)

teste de personalidade disorder of gender identity transsexualism transsexualismo personality tests transtorno da identidade de gênero sexuality/psychology sexualidade/psicologia

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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