The Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults

The present study reports on the construction of a dimensional measure of gender identity (gender dysphoria) for adolescents and adults. The 27-item gender identity/gender dysphoria questionnaire for adolescents and adults (GIDYQ-AA) was administered to 389 university students (heterosexual and nonheterosexual) and 73 clinic-referred patients with gender identity disorder. Principal axis factor analysis indicated that a one-factor solution, accounting for 61.3% of the total variance, best fits the data. Factor loadings were all ≥ .30 (median, .82; range, .34–.96). A mean total score (Cronbach's alpha, .97) was computed, which showed strong evidence for discriminant validity in that the gender identity patients had significantly more gender dysphoria than both the heterosexual and nonheterosexual university students. Using a cut-point of 3.00, we found the sensitivity was 90.4% for the gender identity patients and specificity was 99.7% for the controls. The utility of the GIDYQ-AA is discussed.     

A test of the dsm‐III‐R'S implicit assumption that fetishistic arousal and gender dysphoria are mutually exclusive

This study sought to determine the proportion of adult, male, heterosexual cross‐dressers who acknowledge both gender dysphoria and at least occasional fetishistic response to cross‐dressing. Subjects were 193 outpatients of the gender identity clinic or behavioral sexology department of a psychiatric teaching hospital. Questionnaire items were used to assess subjects' current level of gender dysphoria and their recent history of sexual response to cross‐dressing. Subjects who reported higher levels of gender dysphoria tended to report lower frequencies of sexual arousal with cross‐dressing (r = ‐.56, p < .0001) and lower frequencies of masturbation with cross‐dressing (r = ‐.62, p < .0001). About half of even the most strongly gender dysphoric subjects, however, acknowledged that they still become sexually aroused or masturbate at least occasionally when cross‐dressing. These findings indicate a need for revision in the DSM‐III‐R's diagnostic criteria for transvestism and gender identity disorders, which presuppose that gender dysphoria and fetishistic reactions are mutually exclusive.     

Acknowledgement and support matter: A brief report on gender identity and sexual orientation at a large,urban university

ABSTRACT

Objective. To examine reporting trends of students identifying as LGBTQIA+ following changes made to the ACHA-NCHA-II survey about gender identity and sexual orientation.

Methods. Data were analyzed from two sources for the purpose of triangulation: the ACHA-NCHA-II 2016 survey specific to our university and an electronic audience response survey.

Participants. Primary analyses included first-year students from the ACHA-NCHA-II data (N = 158; spring 2016) and the audience response survey (N = 1,452; August 2016).

Results. Five percent of students did not identify as cis-gender and 21% did not identify as straight/heterosexual. The sexual orientation trend was confirmed by the audience response survey.

Conclusions. The percentage of students identifying as LGBTQIA+ increased nationally between the ACHA-NCHA-II 2014 and 2016 survey samples, a trend which was confirmed using an independent audience response survey. This information has implications for university programming and inclusivity efforts nationwide.     

Sexual‐Minority and Heterosexual Youths' Peer Relationships: Experiences,Expectations, and Implications for Well‐Being

The current study compared the peer relationships and well‐being of 60 sexual‐minority (i.e., nonheterosexual) and 65 heterosexual youths between the ages of 15 and 23. Sexual‐minority youths had comparable self‐esteem, mastery, and perceived stress as did heterosexuals, but greater negative affect. Younger sexual‐minority male adolescents had smaller overall peer networks than did young male heterosexuals, whereas older male and female sexual minorities had larger numbers of extremely close friends within their networks than did heterosexuals. Younger sexual‐minority adolescents had lost or drifted away from more friends than did heterosexuals. Regardless of age, sexual‐minority youths reported disproportionately high worries about losing friends, low feelings of control in their romantic relationships, and fears of never finding the type of romantic relationship they wanted. Sexual‐minority youths that were “out” to more heterosexual peers had larger peer networks but more friendship loss and friendship worries. Youths' relationship experiences and concerns mediated sexual identity differences in negative affect.     

Androgen and psychosexual development: core gender identity, sexual orientation and recalled childhood gender role behavior in women and men with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)

We assessed core gender identity, sexual orientation, and recalled childhood gender role behavior in 16 women and 9 men with CAH and in 15 unaffected female and 10 unaffected male relatives, all between the ages of 18 and 44 years. Women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) recalled significantly more male-typical play behavior as children than did unaffected women, whereas men with and without CAH did not differ. Women with CAH also reported significantly less satisfaction with the female sex of assignment and less heterosexual interest than did unaffected women. Again, men with CAH did not differ significantly from unaffected men in these respects. Our results for women with CAH are consistent with numerous prior reports indicating that girls with CAH show increased male-typical play behavior. They also support the hypotheses that these women show reduced heterosexual interest and reduced satisfaction with the female sex of assignment. Our results for males are consistent with most prior reports that boys with CAH do not show a general alteration in childhood play behavior. In addition, they provide initial evidence that core gender identity and sexual orientation are unaffected in men with CAH. Finally, among women with CAH, we found that recalled male-typical play in childhood correlated with reduced satisfaction with the female gender and reduced heterosexual interest in adulthood. Although prospective studies are needed, these results suggest that those girls with CAH who show the greatest alterations in childhood play behavior may be the most likely to develop a bisexual or homosexual orientation as adults and to be dissatisfied with the female sex of assignment.     

Dimensions of Identity Development Scale: Confirmatory factor analysis,gender invariance,and external validity of the Persian version

The present study was conducted to examine the psychometric properties and gender invariance of the Iranian version of the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS). A total of 1453 adolescents (50.8% female; 14–18 years old, mean = 15.48) participated in a cross-sectional study and completed the DIDS and the Youth Self-Report of behavior problems. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the six-factor model of the DIDS, echoing past studies showing the original 5th factor (Exploration in Depth) being divided into Exploration in Depth and Reconsidering the Commitment. The invariance testing showed comparable measurement properties of the DIDS across males and females (strict measurement invariance). Further, behavior problems were associated positively with Ruminative Exploration and negatively with Commitment Making, Identification with Commitments, Exploration in Depth, and Reconsideration of Commitments, whereas the opposite was true for academic performance. A six-factor DIDS was shown to be a valid and reliable measure for the assessment of identity development dimensions among Iranian adolescents. Future studies in the Iranian context evaluating the identity clusters derived from identity dimensions and their gender differences are warranted.     

Predictor Factors Associated with Premarital Sexual Behaviors Among University Students in an Islamic Culture

ABSTRACT

We examined premarital sexual behaviors among Turkish university students and the predictor factors for these behaviors. The study included 638 eligible students (256 women and 382 men). Masturbation was reported by 53.3% of the participants, and sexual intercourse experience was reported by 26.3%. Men, heterosexual orientation, and non-religious/liberal religiosity were predictor factors for masturbation and premarital sexual intercourse/foreplay experience. Men having more sexual experiences than women may indicate gender double standards, while heterosexual orientation as a predictor of sexual behaviors could relate to homophobia, still prominent in Turkey. These findings highlight Islam's restrictive attitude towards sexuality despite continued Western influences.     

Bullying victimization in non-heterosexual university students

In this study the prevalence, impact on mental health, and coping of bullying victimization in university students identifying as non-heterosexual was compared with their heterosexual peers. University students were surveyed on bullying experiences within the past 12 months, their mental health, and use of coping strategies. Demographic information identified gender, age, and sexual orientation. Results indicated that 14.3% of students reported victimization, and that students ages 24 to 35, and those who identified as non-heterosexual, reported higher rates of victimization. No gender differences were found. Bullied students scored significantly higher on depression, anxiety, and stress scores than non-bullied students. Comparisons of mental health scores and coping strategies of non-heterosexual and heterosexual bullied students found no significant differences, indicating both groups are equally impacted, and equally utilize adaptive and maladaptive strategies to manage the victimization. Implications for tertiary institutions include identification of effective coping resources for diverse university student populations. Limitations and recommendations for future research are considered.     

Traversing gender,sexual orientation,and race-ethnicity: Sexual victimization in a population-based sample of older adults

This research examined the intersectionality of gender, sexual orientation, and race-ethnicity, and its impact on lifetime sexual victimization among a population-based sample of older adults. Data for this study came from the 2011–2014 waves of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The final sample to be used for analysis included 8.862 individuals ages 50 years and over to examine whether and to what extent lesbian, gay, and bisexual older adults differ from heterosexual older adults in experiencing lifetime sexual victimization, and whether the effect of sexual orientation on experiencing lifetime sexual victimization differs across racial-ethnic groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed that lesbian women were 2.59 times more likely and bisexual women 2.15 times more likely both relative to heterosexual women to experience lifetime sexual victimization. When examining whether race-ethnicity imparts additional risk, the findings revealed that non-White heterosexual individuals were 29.6% less likely relative to White heterosexual individuals to experience lifetime sexual victimization, while non-White women, generally, were 2.29 times more likely relative to White men to experience lifetime sexual victimization. Our findings affirm the importance of the intersectionality of sexual orientation and gender when examining lifetime sexual victimization of older adults, adding to the emerging body of research that examines the complexities of older adult lives from multifaceted perspectives.     

Heterosexuals' attitudes toward lesbians and gay men: Correlates and gender differences

This paper discusses the basis for differences among heterosexuals in their reactions to gay people, with special emphasis on the issue of gender differences. Three studies conducted with students at six different universities revealed a consistent tendency for heterosexual males to express more hostile attitudes than heterosexual females, especially toward gay men. The same social psychological variables appear to underlie both males’ and females’ attitudes toward both gay men and lesbians: religiosity, adherence to traditional ideologies of family and gender, perception of friends’ agreement with one's own attitudes, and past interactions with lesbians and gay men. The role of these variables in shaping attitudes is discussed and areas for future research are proposed. Construction and validation of the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) scale are also described.     

Advising,gender, and performance: Evidence from a university with exogenous adviser–student gender match

This paper provides the first causal evidence on the effects of gender match in the adviser–student relationship (as opposed to the well-researched instructor–student relationship) on student outcomes along both the intensive and extensive margins. We analyze administrative data from a university with a faculty adviser assignment policy that makes gender pairing between advisers and students exogenous. We find that matching female students with female adviser has a positive and significant effect on retention and grade point average (GPA) upon graduation, particularly for students with academic challenges and non-science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students. For female students with below-median high school GPA, gender match is found to raise the odds of graduate school enrollments.     

Sexuality and gender identity: from a discursive to a relational analysis

This paper concentrates on the recent controversy over the division between sex and gender and the troubling of the binary distinctions between gender identities and sexualities, such as man and woman, heterosexual and homosexual. While supporting the troubling of such categories, I argue against the approach of Judith Butler which claims that these dualities are primarily discursive constructions that can be regarded as fictions. Instead, I trace the emergence of such categories to changing forms of power relations in a more sociological reading of Foucault's conceptualization of power, and argue that the social formation of identity has to be understood as emergent within socio-historical relations. I then consider what implications this has for a politics based in notions of identity centred on questions of sexuality and gender.     

Serum cholesterol levels in college students: opportunities for education and intervention

Elevated serum cholesterol levels have been shown to be associated with premature atherosclerosis in adolescents and young adults. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends cholesterol screening for all adults aged 20 years or older, but normative data on the college-age population are limited. At a university where lipid profiles are made available to students in selected health/wellness courses, the authors analyzed and summarized lipid profiles on 1,088 undergraduates. Mean total cholesterol levels were similar for men (165 +/- 33 mg/dL) and women (168 +/- 27 mg/dL). The men, however, had significantly lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than the women. One hundred twenty-one students (11.1% of the sample) had elevated serum cholesterol levels (LDL-C > or = 130 mg/dL). Cholesterol screening can be used as an educational tool for college students to reinforce the link between lipid levels and health habits.     

Perceptions of sexual coercion in heterosexual dating relationships: the role of aggressor gender and tactics

A large body of research has found a concerning prevalence rate of sexual coercion in heterosexual college student dating relationships; however, little research has examined how college students perceive and interpret these behaviors. In the current study we examined the impact of initiator gender and sexually coercive strategy (verbal pressure, purposeful intoxication, physical force, or control/mutual consent) on perceptions of the aggressor, victim, behavior, and relationship quality. Results indicated that men who coerce are viewed as aggressive; women who coerce are viewed as promiscuous. Targets of sexual coercion are not perceived as experiencing high levels of victimization following the incident. These findings suggest that college students do not perceive sexually coercive behaviors to be highly problematic. The results are discussed in terms of gender roles and practical implications for college student relationships.     

Lesbian and bisexual women's judgments of the attractiveness of different body types

Two studies were conducted using the Internet with 209 and 141 women respectively who reported themselves as being lesbian or bisexual, but not heterosexual. Women were presented with 8 figures in which weight (slender or heavy), waist‐to‐hip ratio (0.7 or 1.0), and breast size (small or large) were varied independently. Participants rated figures on a 20‐point scale for attractiveness, healthiness, femininity, kindness, and desirability for both short‐term and long‐term relationships. These ratings were summed to give a total preference score as a factor analysis showed that all ratings loaded positively on one factor. In the second study, women were also asked to rate themselves on the degree to which they were gender‐conforming or gender‐nonconforming. In both studies, participants preferred the heavy figure with the 0.7 waist‐to‐hip ratio and large breasts. The same figure with small breasts was the next most preferred. In the second study, there was no difference between gender‐conforming and gender‐nonconforming women in preference scores. We believe that a preference on the part of nonheterosexual women for heavy figures may reflect more comfort with heavier body weight as well as a rejection of what may be seen as an inappropriate societal fixation on excessive thinness.     

Cultural self-construction and identity formation in emerging adulthood: a study on Japanese university students and workers

Cultural pathways of identity formation have been largely unexplored. In many Asian cultures, youth are expected to concentrate on adaptation to their groups or relationships rather than pursuing their own uniqueness. Then, how do they develop a sense of identity while considering groups or relationships to be important? The purposes of this study were (a) to examine relationships between cultural self-construction (i.e. independence and interdependence) and identity processes (i.e. commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) in both societal and relational domains, and (b) to analyze the relationships of self-construction and identity processes with well-being, using a sample of Japanese emerging adults (i.e. university students and workers) aged 18–25 years. The findings indicated that relational identity was related to both independence and interdependence, whereas societal identity was mainly related to independence. Moreover, independence and identity in both societal and relational domains was positively related to well-being. Furthermore, the patterns of relationships among self-construction, identity, and well-being were found to be similar between university students and workers. These findings imply that while Japanese emerging adults have developmental needs to express one's own uniqueness, they are also directed to form a sense of identity emphasizing the maintenance of harmonious relationships with others.     

Evidence of Diverse Identities in a Large National Sample of Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents

Adolescence is a time of identity exploration, and preliminary evidence indicates the ways adolescents are describing their sexual and gender identities (SOGI) are changing. A nuanced understanding of SOGI is necessary for valid assessment in developmental research. Current measures do not capture the diversity of emerging identities among young people. Our study analyzed a national sample of 17,112 sexual and gender minority adolescents (13–17 years) to better understand how identity labels are reported across sexual, gender, and ethnoracial minorities. Adolescents reported 26 distinct SOGI categories; 24% of adolescents utilized nontraditional SOGI labels, such as pansexual and nonbinary. These identifications varied significantly as a function of ethnoracial identity. Results have implications for how scholars conceptualize and measure SOGI among adolescents.     

Masculine Gender-Role Congruence among Sexual Minority Men

Sexual minority men’s sexual identity may be vulnerable to feelings of masculine gender-role incongruence within heteronormative dominant cultural contexts. This study explored associations between masculine gender-role congruence/incongruence and various aspects of sexual identity development in a sample of 106 nonheterosexual men between ages 18 and 74?years (M?=?34.86, SD?=?14.32). The majority of the sample identified as gay (79%), with the rest of the sample identifying as bisexual (10%), and nonexclusively same-sex-attracted sexual identity labels (e.g., pansexual, queer; 10%). Slightly more than half of the men reported congruence between their actual self-perception of masculinity and their ideal masculine presentation. However, men who experienced greater masculine gender-role incongruence, specifically presenting with lower masculine appearance and behavior than they desired, reported higher levels of identity distress and self-consciousness. Thus, though masculine gender roles are being challenged and gender nonconformity is becoming more widely accepted, masculine gender roles are still relevant to the lives of sexual minority men. Future research and clinical implications are discussed.