The Psychological Assessment of Gender Identity and Gender Role in Schizophrenia*

Abstract

Gender identity has been likened to a symphonic orchestration (Gershman 1970). It is composed of many motifs intertwined into one integrated theme. In other words, gender identity is a composite of several subcategories. These subcategories vary from author to author but not without considerable overlap. John Money (1973), who claims to be the first person to define gender identity in print, discusses gender role, gender identity, and core gender identity. Gender role is the public expression of one's individuality as male or female. Gender identity is the private experience of one's individuality as male or female. Core gender identity is a term used to designate the development of gender identity, a process that has begun as early as 18 months, in contradiction to classic Freudian theory. Biller (1968) defined his three levels as sex-role preference, sex-role adoption, and sex-role identity/ orientation. Sex-role preference is the desire to adhere to cultural prescriptions and proscriptions of the masculine or feminine role. This implies a choice or discrimination, and the individual is aware of which of two roles he wishes to pursue. Sex-role adoption is publicly observable behavior, that is, how masculine or feminine members of society view an individual. As such, it is a function of general behavior, only some of which involves intentional awareness. Sex-role adoption, therefore, is similar to Money's gender role. Sex-role identity/ orientation is the way in which an individual basically views himself. It is an underlying and not necessarily •Reprint requests

Sex/gender differences in the brain and cognition in schizophrenia

“…The question of gender role socialization, gender role adherence and gender identity in schizophrenia, remains largely unexamined despite the fact that gender identity problems have been proposed to play a significant role in the diathesis-stress theory of the disorder almost 40 years ago [232]. As mentioned already in the opening paragraph, several authors identify sex and gender as two independent realms with 'sex'…”

Gender Identity Disorder and Schizophrenia: Neurodevelopmental Disorders with Common Causal Mechanisms?

“…Leaving aside overt delusions of gender change, are there subtler indications of gender disturbance in schizophrenia? A number of older studies have attempted to address this issue, though they are largely based on projective techniques of psychological assessment [ 28 ]. Evidence of disturbed gender role and gender identity in these studies includes distortions or omissions of anatomical features on being asked to draw human figures [ 29 , 30 ], reduced satisfaction with body parts in male patients with schizophrenia [ 31 ], and inappropriate responses on psychological tests of masculinity-femininity [ 32 , 33 ].…”

The Experience of Schizophrenia: What's Gender Got To Do With It? A Critical Review of the Current Status of Research on Schizophrenia

“…LaTorre (1984) proposed one of the leading theories, a diathesis-gender-stress model of schizophrenia in which gender identity or gender role problems are the leading target stressors. In this theory, the stressors involved in gender identity confusion are a major source of an aggregate of stress that increases the likelihood that an individual will develop schizophrenia (LaTorre 1976). LaTorre (1984) suggests that the preschizophrenia child develops a faulty gender identity resulting from disturbed family dynamics that inhibit the perception of self in a sex-congruent gender identity.…”