Gender identity assessment with trans individuals – findings of a systematic literature review of assessment instruments and ethical considerations

Purpose In several Western legislations, trans individuals must frequently undergo some form of gender identity assessment, for example, to receive legal recognition of their gender or to access therapeutic interventions. Thus, a standardised and empirically supported assessment approach becomes necessary. The purpose of this paper is to critically reflect on the current international guidelines for assessments by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which will be compared to standards in secure forensic settings, illustrated by British prison policies. Design/methodology/approach Findings of a systematic literature review following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis standards are presented, summarising the current state of research pertaining to gender identity assessment instruments. Studies were included, when they presented empirical details pertaining to assessment approaches and passed the quality appraisal, but were excluded when they did not use a trans sample or presented clinical assessments not linked to gender identity. Findings A total of 21 included English articles, which mostly have been published in the USA in the past 20 years, propose ten different assessment approaches. Most of the studies support the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, Body Image Scale for Transsexuals and the Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults. The instruments are briefly summarised. Practical implications It becomes apparent that this field is severely understudied and that there is no consensus regarding the best assessment approach. Hence, any recommendations are only preliminary and are contextualised with further ethical considerations and suggestions for future research. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first systematic literature review pertaining to the (semi-)structured assessment of gender identity

A Psychometric Comparison of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Inventory for Diagnosing Depression in a College Population

The relationship between the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Inventory for Diagnosing Depression (IDD) was evaluated in a college population. The BDI is an established self-report depression instrument. The IDD is a relatively new self-report depression instrument. The IDD was designed to address the BDI's lack of full correspondence with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.) (DSM-III) through DSM-IV criteria. The two instruments were found to be highly correlated and Cronbach's alpha was found to be high for each instrument. The diagnostic performance of three BDI cutoff scores was found to vary considerably when compared to IDD diagnostic criteria. Implications for selection and use of self-report depression inventories are discussed.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Responses to the publication of the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM 5

The idea and practice of ‘diagnosis’ in psychiatry has always been controversial. Controversy came to a head in the period preceding and immediately after publication of the latest version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5. There was widespread international discussion and debate not only in scholarly journals but in mainstream and social media, and to the formation of International DSM Response Committee and an International Summit on Psychiatric Diagnosis. This article documents that process and outlines the issues that provoked, and continue to provoke most controversy, from the (admittedly personal) perspective of those involved. It ends with suggestions of alternatives to diagnosis, which avoid some of these problems and outlines how these are being taken forward. The next ten years are likely to see significant change

The Dutch version of the Child Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory:validation in a clinical sample and a school sample

With the inclusion of trauma-related cognitions in the DSM-5 criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the assessment of these cognitions has become essential. Therefore, valid tools for the assessment of these cognitions are warranted

Understanding the Student with Asperger Syndrome

Children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome present a special challenge in the educational milieu. This article provides teachers with descriptions of seven defining characteristics of Asperger syndrome, in addition to suggestions and strategies for addressing these symptoms in the classroom. Behavioral and academic interventions based on the author's teaching experiences with children with Asperger syndrome are offered.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68244/2/10.1177_108835769501000202.pd

Full and equal equality

Purpose: This commentary takes the article, “Participation of adults with learning disabilities in the 2015 United Kingdom General Election”, as a jumping-off point for considering a tension between the aim of full and equal equality for all people with disabilities as set out in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and more traditional beliefs, that on occasion, it is necessary to deny legal autonomy of men and women with intellectual disabilities in order to protect them. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach: This issue is explored by reviewing the multiple and often conflicting ways in which disability and intellectual disability are conceptualised. Findings: Given the multiple and contradictory ways in which both disability and intellectual disability are understood, any discussion of the rights of persons with disabilities is going to be highly problematic. Originality/value: Equal recognition before the law and the presumption that all persons with intellectual disabilities can – with support – make autonomous decisions could be treated as an empirical question

Firesetting and arson in individuals with autism spectrum disorder : a systematic PRISMA review

Purpose: The present review aims to identify studies which have investigated arson or firesetting in individuals with ASD. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic PRISMA review was conducted. Findings: The present review highlighted the relatively little research that has been conducted to date exploring firesetting or arson in individuals with ASD. Eleven papers were identified in the present review study. Six were cases studies and five were empirical studies. The case studies identified in the review highlighted some of the ASD symptomology which may contribute to this type of criminal behaviour. Also, the empirical studies indicate that there is a higher prevalence of individuals with ASD who engage in such criminal behaviours. Research limitations/implications: There is an urgent need to further empirical research in this area and for there to be an increased awareness and understanding of how ASD can contribute to arson and firesetting in both a legal and clinical context. Originality/value: This is the first review, to the author’s knowledge, to explore the literature on firesetting or arson in individuals with ASD

Group Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Preliminary Outcomes

A clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a 7-week group behavioral therapy program for adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Group sessions included therapist-assisted exposure and response prevention exercises, information regarding OCD, and the extensive use of behavioral homework assignments. An additional family session was conducted to educate families about OCD and to encourage participation in the group member's behavioral program. At the end of the group, all clients showed improvement on their Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale scores; 6-month follow-up revealed further improve ment. Our findings provide preliminary support for the efficacy of group behavioral therapy for adolescents with OCD.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68943/2/10.1177_104973159800800601.pd

Co-occurrence of ASD and ADHD traits in an adult population

Objective: ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be viewed as the extreme end of traits found in the general population. Clinical and genetic studies suggest that ADHD and ASD often co-occur and share genetic susceptibility. The aim of this study was to examine co-occurrence of ADHD and ASD traits in the general population. Method: In total, 334 participants were recruited from a population-based sample. Four questionnaires assessing current and retrospective ADHD and ASD traits were administered online: the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Symptom Checklist, the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS-25), the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ), and the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Results: A significant correlation was found between ADHD and autistic traits. In particular, higher inattention and overall ADHD scores were associated with self-reported deficits in communication and social skills. Conclusion: Our findings are similar to results from studies on clinical populations, suggesting that ADHD and ASD might share common etiology