The Comparison of Body Image and Depression Symptoms in People with and without Gender Dysphoria

Abstract

People with gender dysphoria experience some mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. The present study aimed to compare body image and depressive symptoms in people with gender dysphoria and the non-affected. This research was applied in terms of purpose and casual-comparative in terms of methodology. The statistical population of the study included two groups of people with gender dysphoria approved by the Iranian legal medicine organization in 1400 and non-affected people with gender dysphoria. For sampling, 30 people from both groups (15 males and 15 females) were selected by the convenience sampling method. A Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire (BSRQ) and The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were employed to gather research data. Data analysis was performed by Independent Sample T-Test using SPSS-20 software. The findings of the study indicated that the mean scores of body image (P˂0.01) and depressive symptoms (P˂0.05) were significantly different in people with gender dysphoria and the non-affected people. People with gender dysphoria had a more negative body image and more depressive symptoms than non-affected people.

Keywords

• body image
• depression
• gender dysphoria