Effect of cross-sex hormones on the quality of life in transgenders

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Recieved: 09/12/2022

Accepted: 09/20/2022

Published: 03/16/2023

Keywords: transgenderism; transsexuals; sex correction; subjective quality of life; gender identity

p.: 44-54

DOI: 10.11621/npj.2023.0104

Available online: 16.03.2023

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Kumchenko Sergey K., Aleksandr Sh. Tkhostov, Rasskazova Elena I. . Effect of cross-sex hormones on the quality of life in transgenders. // National Psychological Journal 2023. 1. p.44-54. doi: 10.11621/npj.2023.0104

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Kumchenko Sergey K. Lomonosov Moscow State University

Aleksandr Sh. Tkhostov Lomonosov Moscow State University

Rasskazova Elena I. Lomonosov Moscow State University

Abstract

Background. There is an increase in demand for transgender transition, which is connected with social causes, as well as the possibilities of modern medicine. One of the stages includes hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There is no clear opinion on the effect of HRT on subjective well-being of transsexuals. A controversial point is the ambiguous effect of HRT.

Objective. To compare the effect of HRT on the subjective quality of life of transgender and compare the results with other stages of transgender transition, as well as with a control group with cisgender people.

Methods. The anonymous questionnaire includes the life satisfaction scale (Osin, Leontiev, 2008), and the Kuhn test “Who am I?” modified by A. Tkhostov, E. Rasskazova, V. Emelin (2014). ANOVA is used in the SPSS 23 program.

Sample. Control group included 120 cisgender people. Research group consisted of 151 transsexuals. The main group is divided by gender (MtF — Male-to-Female; FtM — Female-to-Male) and the stage of transgender transition.

Results. All transsexuals at the HRT stage demonstrate a low significance of self-identification in the “Who am I?” test (P < 0.001), which is not observed at other stages of gender correction. HRT has diametrically different effects on MtF and FtM. MtFs demonstrate low subjective quality of life (P < 0.001) and low social recognition scores (P < 0.001), while FtM — on the contrary.

Conclusion. The stage of hormone replacement therapy in transsexuals is associated with a revision of identity, in which old self-identities lose relevance, and new ones have not yet been found. Perhaps the uncertain and crisis nature of such a psychological situation is the reason for the ambiguous effect of hormone therapy on the subjective quality of life of transsexuals in many scientific publications.

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