Maternal reports of pregnancy, genital, and related fantasies in preschool and kindergarten children

Assessment of gender variance in children

This article focuses on the assessment of children who display gender-atypical behavior and, perhaps, identity. The aim is to provide an overview of assessment techniques that can be used clinically with children who show this behavioral pattern and that complement the routine use of DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of gender identity disorder in clinical practice. It will also provide an overview of some common approaches to the assessment of other types of behavioral and socioemotional issues that may require clinical attention in these youngsters.

The DSM diagnostic criteria for gender identity disorder in children

In this article, I review the diagnostic criteria for Gender Identity Disorder (GID) in children as they were formulated in the DSM-III, DSM-III-R, and DSM-IV. The article focuses on the cumulative evidence for diagnostic reliability and validity. It does not address the broader conceptual discussion regarding GID as "disorder," as this issue is addressed in a companion article by Meyer-Bahlburg (2009). This article addresses criticisms of the GID criteria for children which, in my view, can be addressed by extant empirical data. Based in part on reanalysis of data, I conclude that the persistent desire to be of the other gender should, in contrast to DSM-IV, be a necessary symptom for the diagnosis. If anything, this would result in a tightening of the diagnostic criteria and may result in a better separation of children with GID from children who display marked gender variance, but without the desire to be of the other gender.