Aspects of Psychiatric Symptoms at Different Stages in the Treatment of Transsexualism

Three groups of male transsexuals at different stages of the treatment process were examined and shown to match retrospectively in actuarial and psychiatric data. Transsexuals who were on a waiting list for surgery showed lower neurotic scores on the Crown-Crisp Experiential Index than those at the assessment stage of clinic attendance, while post-operative transsexuals obtained scores lower than either of the other groups. Transsexuals during the assessment stage of treatment obtained the lowest scores on items in the Bem Sex Role Inventory that define stereotypical masculine characteristics and the highest scores on items that define stereotypical feminine characteristics, in relation to the other two groups.