Comparison of personality traits and quality of life enjoyment among transsexual / transgender individuals

As the American culture flourishes and its world influence continues, the need to understand all subcultures that enhance or represent any portion of the American population grows in importance. The purpose of this study was to investigate one of humanity's most controversial and poorly understood subculture, the transsexual/transgender population.;Despite the limited data on trans gender individuals and narrow availability of recently published psychological research on trans gender individuals, a quantitative study design was chosen for this study. This study utilized individual data and testing results obtained from volunteers who either received a formal clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder, gender dysphoria, or those who identified themselves as transsexuals or transgender. Individuals recruited for this study were active members or participants of the Sacramento, Mather Park/Sutter, East Bay Area, and San Francisco Transgender Associations, all from Northern California.;It appears to this writer, based on the outcome of this research, as well as literature reviewed, that personality differences do not seem to negatively affect one's perception of quality of life, except with elevated or severe clinical syndromes and negative personality patterns, similar to the norm population. Thus, severe or elevated psychopathology in both Axis I and Axis II, such as major depression, bipolar, and drug dependence, can challenge any individual's ability to reach a higher quality of life.;This writer poses the question, that if the trans gender individuals in this study did not have significant differences in any psychopathology and individual personality traits that impact their ability to attain higher life satisfaction and quality of life, why is there still such a negative label of gender identity disorder in the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2004)7 Under Axis I, it is described as a psychiatric condition and denotes that resolution of gender distress is treated and resolved only via physical transformation, via hormone replacement therapy, living in the individual's gender identity, and surgical intervention. The results of this study, as well as covered literature review, wou l d seem to provide even more evidence to suggest of this being appropriately labeled a medical condition Axis III diagnosis, with adjustment challenges, and not under Axis I diagnosis.