Psychological Functioning of Adolescents Referred for Gender Dysphoria: An MMPI-A and R-PAS Study

Carfora Lettieri, S., Andò, A., Baietto, C., Bechis, D., Di Fini, G., Di Girolamo,
M., Finzi, S., Giromini, L., Guglielmi, L., Molo, M., Tasca, M., Vitiello, B., Gandino, G.
In occasione de Inaugural R-PAS Multimethod Assessment Conference
Virginia Beach (presentazione online)
16-18 Maggio 2024

ABSTRACT

Transgender individuals have a gender identity that is inconsistent with their assigned sex at birth, while gender-non-conforming individuals exhibit behaviors or appearances that do not conform to prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate for their gender. In recent years, research on transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people has increased. For example, in 2015, the American Psychological Association (APA) published its Guidelines for Psychological Practice with TGNC People. However, due to the unique nature of working with TGNC in adolescence and the lack of relevant literature, the APA guidelines focus primarily on TGNC in adulthood. This is of particular concern because members of Generation Z, colloquially referred to as Gen Z (young people born between 1996 and the early 2010s), are more likely to identify themselves as TGNC than any previous generation. To contribute to this research topic, the current study aims to examine the psychological functioning of a small clinical sample of individuals between the ages of 14 and 18 who require specialist consultation for gender variance. More specifically, the interpretive scores of two widely used personality assessment measures, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescents (MMPI-A), and the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS), will be analyzed and compared to gain insight into the psychological functioning of this small group of people from multiple perspectives.