       Document 0004
 DOCN  M9580004
 TI    Is gender dysphoria dysphoric? Elevated depression and anxiety in gender
       dysphoric and nondysphoric homosexual and bisexual men in an HIV sample.
       HNRC Group.
 DT    9506
 AU    Weinrich JD; Atkinson JH Jr; McCutchan JA; Grant I
 SO    Arch Sex Behav. 1995 Feb;24(1):55-72. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95251530
 AB    Few if any studies before the AIDS epidemic suggested that male
       homosexuals may on average have higher levels of depression than male
       heterosexuals. However, several samples of homosexual and bisexual men
       in HIV studies suggest that depression and anxiety are high in these
       populations, and that this psychiatric morbidity began before the AIDS
       epidemic. We tested the hypothesis that high childhood gender
       nonconformity (CGN) is associated with depression and anxiety, and so
       might account for differences in these variables among samples of
       homosexuals. A total of 254 homosexual or bisexual male subjects were
       assessed for depression, anxiety, and associated symptoms using various
       self-report and interview measures, as well as for CGN (using the Freund
       Feminine Gender Identity scale, FGI). For comparison purposes only, we
       also evaluated the subjects for the DSM-III diagnosis of Ego-Dystonic
       Homosexuality. Highly gender nonconforming men (high FGI scores) were
       more likely to have current symptoms of anxiety and depression by
       self-report, and to have had a lifetime history of depression by
       clinical interview. This association was more often due to FGI items
       dealing with childhood than adulthood. When the FGI was broken into
       subscales by a prior factor analysis, stepwise regression suggested that
       the subscale measuring core gender identity nonconformity (so-called
       gender dysphoria) was more reliably associated with depression and
       anxiety than were the factors measuring nonconformity in the areas of
       masculine and feminine gender roles, or genitoerotic (sexual) roles.
       This subscale was also the only FGI measure correlating with
       Ego-Dystonic Homosexuality. AIDS (CDC stage and HIV serostatus) and age
       did not account for these findings. We conclude that the often-reported
       higher levels of depression, anxiety, and associated symptoms among
       homosexual and bisexual men in AIDS studies are more common in the
       subgroup of such men who are gender dysphoric. Theoretical and clinical
       implications of these data are discussed.
 DE    Adult  Anxiety/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Bisexuality/*PSYCHOLOGY
       Depression/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  *Gender Identity  Homosexuality,
       Ego-Dystonic/PSYCHOLOGY  Homosexuality, Male/*PSYCHOLOGY  Human  HIV
       Infections/PSYCHOLOGY  Male  Regression Analysis  Self Concept  Support,
       Non-U.S. Gov't  Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.  Transsexualism/PSYCHOLOGY
       JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

