WHICH ARE THE CLINICAL COMPONENTS OF TRANSSEXUALISM ? ABOUT 212 CASES OF APPLICANTS FOR SEX REASSIGNMENT

Abstract

In France transsexuality was classified as a long term psychiatric disorder (Affections de
Longue Durée 23) until 2009. Since April 2010 a government decree established that
transsexualism is a non-classified long term ailment. As this new categorization eliminates
any reference to the potential psychiatric nature of transsexualism (Affections de Longue
Durée 31) it put an end to the long and overwhelming psychiatric protocol to which transsexuals had to submit if they wanted to qualify for sex reassignment. In fact, the aim of this
protocol was to objectify the potentiality of a pathological condition, such as psychosis, explaining the feelings of rejection/incongruence towards one’s biological sex.
The present study is based on a sample of 212 patients (107 M and 105 F) examined as
outpatients in a psychiatric hospital. The average age of the men (H) is 35 years (19-57) and
the women (F) 29.5 years (17-53). The results of the psychological assessments administered
to these patients provided comparative indicators with the general population for both cognitive assessment and personality profile. Elements of their psychobiography helped us clarify
family and socio-professional factors in this population of patients.
This article explores the question of whether there are common psychological components
among individuals manifesting a lived experience of transsexuality