NURS 6660 Week 11 Main Discussion Post Special Topics in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Psychological Issues

  Resulting from Gender Dysphoria I have chosen Gender Dysphoria (GD) formerly known as Gender Identity Disorder because I have taken care of many adolescent patients with GD. The DSM-5 (Association, 2013) discusses GD as the distress that may accompany the marked incongruence between someone’s birth gender and their expressed gender that lasts for at least six months. Gender dysphoria is expressed differently depending on the age group. However, not everyone who is transgender experiences distress. Davy and Toze (2018), in referring to the DSM-5 reported that GD is associated with clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Martinerie et al. (2018) reiterated that individuals who identify with a gender different from their birth gender are referred to as “transgender” while those whose condition is accompanied by distress are diagnosed with GD. Additionally, Shulman et al. (2017) reported that individuals who identify as transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) are at risk of discrimination, stigma, and violence. These individuals also are at a high risk for mental health problems including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide compared to the general population. Assessment measure Shulman et al. (2018) recommends that the treatment for GD patients include a comprehensive assessment of psychological constructs. The World Professional Organization for Transgender Health (WPATH)’s standards of care, call for mental health providers to assess gender dysphoria and accompanying distress by conducting a psychological assessment