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Gender identity change in a female adolescent transsexual

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Abstract

Two years of individual and milieu therapy are described of a 141/2-year-old girl who had presented with the persistent request to have a sex-change operation since age 12. Her past history was obtained from her parents and the records of the child guidance clinic which evaluated her at 3 years of age. She gives a history of remarkable tomboyism during her latency years and increasing withdrawal from peers and family during early adolescence. The patient's personal and family dynamics are explored, and these major therapeutic themes are discussed. The individual and milieu therapy are described and discussed with some speculation about the reasons for her positive response to psychotherapy. It would appear that this is a rare case of a postpubertal female transsexual reported to have made a gender identity change.

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Davenport, C.W., Harrison, S.I. Gender identity change in a female adolescent transsexual. Arch Sex Behav 6, 327–340 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541204

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