Has general population adolescents´ body image changed alongside the increase in the need for gender identity services?

Abstract

Objectives:To examine body image among general population adolescents and possible changes therein during a period when adolescent gender identity concerns appear to have increased, and to compare population adolescents’ body image to that of adolescents seeking gender reassignment. Materials and Methods: Two similar surveys in upper secondary schools in the Tampere city area with a five-year interval during the years 2011-2017. Comprising both time points, a total of 1,102 female and 644 male adolescents participated in the study and provided acceptable data. Clinical sample collected retrospectively from the case files of 102 adolescents (16 birth-assigned males and 86 birth-assigned females) seeking gender reassignment in the nationally centralized adolescent gender identity service of Tampere University Hospital in the period 2011-2017. Body image was measured using the Body Image Scale (BIS) in both the clinical and the general populations samples. Results: Female adolescents were less satisfied with all aspects of their bodies than males but nevertheless scored average in the satisfied range in BIS. BIS total and subscale scores did not differ statistically significantly between 2012 and 2017 in either sex. Adolescents seeking gender reassignment scored higher in BIS total and subscales than adolescents of either sex in population, and into dissatisfied range. Conclusions: Even if seeking help for gender dysphoria has increased, general population adolescents’ body image has remained unchanged over an interval of five years.

Keywords

• body image
• adolescents
• population
• gender dysphoria