Abstract
The drawings by 31 transsexual clients, 61 psychiatric inpatients, and 62 nonclient college students were compared to derive information about whether they differed with regard to sex-typing and psychopathology. Transsexuals did not differ from nonclients or psychiatric patients as far as their conceptualization of masculinity is concerned, nor are they more or less sex-role stereotyped. However, their conceptualization of femininity of women differs significantly from that of the other groups in that transsexuals view women as more feminine than either of the other groups. Finally, transsexuals differed from both nonclients and psychiatric patients in inconsistent patterns across other variables, indicating that they are neither similar to nonpathological controls, nor to psychiatric inpatients. This uniqueness of the transsexual group is discussed in the context of multiple possible interpretations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 3rd ed., rev., APA, Washington, DC.
Blanchard, R., Clemmenson, L. H., and Steiner, B. W. (1985). Social desirability response set and systematic distortion in the self-report of adult male gender patients.Arch. Sex. Behav. 14: 505–516.
Blanchard, R., McConkey, J. G., Roper, V., and Steiner, B. W. (1983). Measuring physical aggressiveness in heterosexual, homosexual, and transsexual males.Arch. Sex. Behav. 12: 151–524.
Fleming, M. Z., Costos, D., and MacGowan, B. R. (1984). Ego development in female-to-male transsexual couples.Arch. Sex. Behav. 13: 581–593.
Fleming, M. Z., MacGowan, B. R., and Salt, P. (1984). Female-to-male transsexualism and sex-roles: Self and spouse ratings on the PAQ.Arch. Sex. Behav. 13: 51–57.
Goodenough, F. (1926).Measurement of Intelligence by Drawings, World Book New York.
Handler, L. (1985). The clinical use of the Draw-A-Person test (DAP). In Newmark, C.S. (ed.),Major Psychological Assessment Instruments Allyn and Bacon, Boston.
Lothstein, L. M. (1984). Psychological testing with transsexuals: A 30-year review.J. Pers. Assess. 48: 500–507.
Lutz, D. J., Roback, H. B., and Hart, M. (1984). Feminine gender identity and psychological adjustment of male transsexuals and male homosexuals.J. Sex Res. 20: 350–362.
Murray, J. (1985). Borderline manifestations in the Rorschachs of male transsexuals.J. Pers. Assess. 49: 454–466.
Ogden, D. (1979).Psychodiagnostics and Personality Assessment: A Handbook 2nd ed., Western Psychological Association, Los Angeles.
Roberto, L. G. (1983). Issues in diagnosis and treatment of transsexualism.Arch. Sex. Behav. 12: 445–473.
Sarrell, P., Sarrell, L., and Berman, S. (1981). Using the Draw-A-Person (DAP) test in sex therapy.J. Sex Marital Ther. 7: 1163–183.
Verschoor, A. M., and Poortinga, J. (1988). Psychosocial differences between Dutch male and female transsexuals.Arch. Sex. Behav. 17: 173–178.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brems, C., Adams, R.L. & Skillman, G.D. Person drawings by transsexual clients, psychiatric clients, and nonclients compared: Indicators of sex-typing and pathology. Arch Sex Behav 22, 253–264 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541770
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541770