MMPI and Rorschach Characteristics of Individuals Approved for Gender Reassignment Surgery

Abstract

Results of past empirical studies utilizing the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Rorschach Inkblot Test (Rorschach) have tended to be equivocal regarding the level and nature of psychopathology associated with samples of individuals requesting gender reassignment surgery. The present study compared the MMPI-2 basic scale T scores from a gender reassignment applicant sample (56 male-to-female transsexuals and 56 female-to-male transsexuals) to T scores obtained from a general psychiatric adult inpatient sample (n = 112) and T scores obtained from a normal adult sample (n = 112). The comparison groups were matched to the gender reassignment sample on the variables of biological gender and age. Rorschach data obtained from the gender reassignment sample were also compared to frequency data reported by Exner for normal, character disorder, and schizophrenic adults. Apart from a clinical range elevation on Scale 5, the gender reassignment candidates produced a normal range mean MMPI-2 profile. In contrast, the Rorschach findings suggested that reassignment candidates produce a high frequency of invalid protocols and manifest various psychological problems that are characteristic of individuals with personality disorders. These findings are discussed in terms of salient methodological and theoretical issues as well as promising directions for future research.

MMPI-2 Profile of French Transsexuals: The Role of Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors. A cross-sectional design

“…The heterogeneity of the studied populations and the relatively small sample sizes of most of the studies could explain in part the contradictory findings. In the most recent studies, which were conducted with larger homogeneous samples of highly selected transsexuals (i.e., those who were eligible for a standardized sex reassignment procedure) and/or using the MMPI-2 4 7 10 25 , the results were consistent with ours and support the view that transsexualism is usually an isolated diagnosis 5 7 8 10 25 . The main message of these last studies was that transsexuals showed no evidence of psychopathology according to the MMPI-2 profile, and transsexualism can exist independent of other psychopathology.…”

“…The literature shows contradictory results. Whereas similar studies did not find significant differences in the MMPI-2 profile according to sex 4 5 10 , other authors have tended to indicate that MtF individuals are more psychologically distressed than FtMs 3 25 26 37 38 . Some of these studies focused on different populations, such as participants with a late onset of the disorder, i.e., those who adapted to their biological sex during early life 26 , or gender dysphoric adolescents 38 .…”

“…As recommended in the 7 th version of the Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual People 2 , mental health professionals should screen for these psychological characteristics and other mental health concerns and incorporate the identified concerns into the overall treatment plan. Existing studies have revealed contradictory results, highlighting either normative functioning 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 or a high proportion of psychiatric comorbidity 12 13 14 15 16 . These discrepancies may the result of the following methodological differences.…”

The Contribution of Forensic Psycodiagnostic in Legal Medical Evaluations Regarding the Amendment of Sex Assignment: The Rorschach Test

“…From the study by Caron, it was found that transsexuals, when compared to a sample of schizophrenic patients with personality disorders and non-patients, had very similar results to patients with personality disorders (i.e. impulse control, reality testing, cognitive disorders, self-esteem, affective modulation, and interpersonal relationships) [3].…”

“…TSP satisfies the eligibility criteria for surgical sex-change intervention and is characterized by the following: 1) DSM-IV diagnosis of GID; 2) Early onset of identification with the opposite sex during childhood; 3) Marked behaviors typical of the opposite sex during childhood; 4) Expressed request for SRS in early adolescence; 5) Clear-cut homosexual orientation (with respect to biological sex); 6) low sexual arousal during cross-dressing. TSS, on the other hand, does not satisfy the eligibility criteria for sex reassignment surgery and is characterized by: 1) DSM-IV diagnosis of GID; 2) Delayed onset in late adolescence or adulthood; 3) Moderate or absent behaviors typical of the opposite sex during childhood 4) Request for SRS in late adolescence or adulthood; 5) Heterosexual orientation (with respect to biological sex, or bisexual orientation; 6) Moderate sexual arousal during crossdressing [2][3][4][5][6][7][8].…”