The assessment of body image in boys with gender identity disorder: A comparison to clinical control boys and community control boys

The DSM-IV describes gender-specific anatomic dissatisfaction as criteria for Gender Identity Disorder (GID) in boys. The current study examined general body image dissatisfaction and gender-specific anatomic dissatisfaction in 31 boys with GID (M age = 8.16 yrs, SD = 2.72) compared to 23 boys (M age = 8.66 yrs; SD = 2.26) referred for other clinical concerns and 25 community control boys (M age = 8.28 yrs; SD = 2.57). Mothers completed the Anatomic Satisfaction Scale (ASS), which is a novel measure that assesses maternal perceptions of boys' general and gender-specific body image satisfaction. Boys were administered the Body Esteem Scale for Children (BES; Mendelson & White, 1993), and measures of body part satisfaction and perceived appearance satisfaction. Compared to control groups, boys with GID displayed greater general body image dissatisfaction and gender-specific anatomic dissatisfaction. Boys with GID were also less satisfied with their specific body parts than controls. There were no differences in self-perceived attractiveness. For items that reflected specific DSM-IV criteria, there were no significant differences between groups. Findings contribute to an understanding of the body image concerns in boys with GID.