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IDENTITY AND IDENTIFICATION Molo M., Cappai E.. -
Cerne - Via della Rocca 24 bis Turin - Italy -
Contact mtmolo_at_attglobal.net
This study is about 50 GID clients coming to our
private clinic over the last five years. The full
spectrum of transgenderism is represented they
are biological male or female, 38 of them asking
for surgery, 5 for hormonal therapy, 7 subjects
wanting to clear a confused identity. Among them
there are some similarities and some differences
They are cured in different ways some undergo
one session, during which we suggest a treatment
center near their hometown others require a
six-month observation which usually results in
the prescription of hormonal therapy some are
treated for a longer period of time, until they
reach a congruent identity or they simply decide
to interrupt the therapy the remaining group
undergo the regular two-year sessions with a
final certification suggesting surgery. Of course
their stories and the results of their
psychological tests are different.
SUBJECTS Of the 50 subjects examined, 31 are
biological male (..) and 19 are biological
female (..). They underwent an assessment about
prenatal life, birth, physical and emotional
health in childhood and adolescence, death in the
family, traumas, relationship with parents, onset
of cross behaviour and cross-dressing, denial of
secondary sexual characteristics, sexual
orientation and sex drive.
METHODS We used the following psychological
tests Rorschach, Machover, M.M.P.I.,
B.S.R.I. These assessment data enable us to
establish a differentiation of core
transsexuals. Notes on psychological testing a
big problem arises. In fact transsexuals seem to
be free of significant psychopathology both on
clinical interview and on objective test
measures, but exhibit severe psychopathology on
projective tests (Lothstein). Rorschach and
Machover are projective tests, the other two are
self-evaluation questionnaires. Our choice
enables us to evaluate rational and unconscious
aspects of human personality. In our country
Rorschach Test is used in every personality
evaluation. Following Machover theory, the
drawing of a human being is none other than the
projection of ones own body image, or rather the
projection of ones ego image. MMPI-R presents
three scales about validity, one of these is the
k factor defensive attitude against
psychological inquiry when its value is high. The
most interesting scale for GID subjects is Mf
scale, which shows that typical opposite sex
behaviour is present when this value is gt70.
B.S.R.I. refers to personality characteristics
considered to be typical of masculinity or
femininity. Four results are possible high
masculinity (masculine), high femininity
(feminine), high masculinity and high femininity
(androgynous), low masculinity and low femininity
(undifferentiated). Rorschach. Here we only
considered table III (sexual identification),
table IV (father figure), VI (sexuality), VII
(mother figure). Machover. Succession of the two
drawing, inverted or normal. M.M.P.I. Mf
scale. B.R.S.I. Masculine, Feminine, Androgynous,
Undifferentiated. First of all we considered the
subjects presenting a confused identity we did
not find any common characteristic. Then we
compared them with the ones asking for therapy
(hormonal or surgery) the two groups did not
differ significantly.Since the groups showed no
significant differences, here we present our data
about all the subjects.

• RESULTS
• Of 47 subjects, 47 (22) had prenatal or birth
  related problems, while 61 (29) suffered in
  childhood and 23 (11) in adolescence.
• The father was violent in 21 (10) and absent in
  29 (14) 3 subjects ( 6) had problems with a
  dominant or violent mother.
• A quarter was the last born child. 10 (21) were
  the only children. 2 (4) had a twin with GID.
• Many spoke about a tendency to cross dressing
  since childhood (89). Most of them discovered
  their GID before puberty (73). All of them (33)
  except 1 did not accept their secondary sexual
  characteristics.
• A large majority felt the sexual orientation
  towards people of the same biological sex
  (38/46), 5 are bisexual. A minority (5/26)
  experienced low sex drive.
• Two important remarks
• These data are an actual reconstruction of past
  events, although not confirmed by valid proof.
  Moreover there may be a bias subjects say what
  they think is more useful in convincing the
  experts that they are transsexuals suitable for
  the SRS in childhood they played with toys of
  the opposite sex, they liked cross dressing, they
  felt at ease with children of the opposite sex,
  they were disturbed by the development of their
  secondary sex characteristics, and so on.
• Only typical elements were found no specific
  element was found. This means nothing is present
  in all the subjects. Only a specific element
  allows a true diagnosis and highlights a possible
  ethiology.
• Psychological testing.
• A thorough testing (all the tests for all the
  subjects) was impossible, but we have data about
  36/46 subjects (78).

We examined 32 Rorschach protocols. Of these, 11
presented problems related to table III, 16 to
table IV, 9 to table VI, 12 to table VII.
B.R.S.I. was completed by 40 subjects, 24 male
and 16 female. In the male group 8 resulted
androgynous, 3 undifferentiated, 11 feminine and
2 masculine. In the female group 4 were
androgynous, 5 undifferentiated, 3 feminine and 4
masculine.
46 subjects completed the M.M.P.I.-R protocol. 5
were at the threshold of validity, 9 could
suggest a simulation. Of all the protocols 28
had the Mf scale gt70 (normal value), 11 when we
considered the valid protocols only. 21 had
pathological values in other scales.
There were 42 Machover drawings. Of these 38 had
an inverted succession.
Even regarding psychological testing we found
typical aspects, but none of them were present in
all the subjects. Two people did not refer any
problem they and their lives were completely
normal.
CONCLUSIONS In the light of our psychological
testing nothing seems to specifically
characterize GID people, even if some elements
are typical. The same is true about their life
experiences. In our opinion a more accurate
analysis of identity development should be taken
into consideration. Animal studies (with
cautions) could be re-examined, for example the
case of monkeys which, deprived of a contact with
their soft mothers, show an atypical sexual
behaviour, and only by living in groups recover
their instincts. Without imprinting, is
imitation required? Self identity begins as
physical identity, mainly sensitive, accompanied
by pleasure and satisfaction. From this the body
image develops, where perceptions are connected
to emotional and affective experiences, never
fixed but evolving throughout their life. Many
factors may interfere with a normal development,
crucial ones are probably situated near the
oedipical period, in which genital structures and
their innervations mature. Fantasies accompanying
the pre-genital period of life are important for
a correct sexual identification. During the
phallic-oedipical development the concept of a
difference in gender identity emerges, which
stabilizes in a permanent way at the end of
adolescence.   Is psychological testing
useful? In our opinion, it is. Tests assess GID
peoples ego-strengths and weaknesses they
suggest the potential for engaging in
psychotherapy. Transsexuals reflect about their
life experiences and acquire a deeper knowledge
of themselves, abandoning the simplistic view of
I am a boy/girl trapped in a wrong body.
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