GID and Homosexuality
Gender Identity Disorder vs. Homosexuality in Adolescents
•Exploring the differences and similarities in the development of gender and
sexual identities in pre-adulthood
Amanda Decker
Camden County College
Professor Chad Leonard

Definitions and Explanations
 Gender Identity Disorder and Homosexuality
 Gender Identity Disorder (GID)
 The developmental phenomenon where an individual
truly feels that their physical, biological gender is
incorrect. (1)
 Homosexuality
 The sexual attraction to the same sex; also known as
LGB (2)
(1) Simonelli, C., Rossi, R., Tripodi, M. F., De Stasio, S., & Petruccelli, I. (2006, September 25). Gender identity and
preadolescence: a pilot study. Sexologies, 16-1, 22-28
(2) Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E., & Hunter, J. (2008, October 30). Predicting Different Patterns of Sexual Identity
Development Over Time Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youths: A Cluster Analytic Approach.
American Journal of Psychology, 42-3,4, 266-282.
Research Topic
 Comparing the development of homosexuality and
gender identity disorder in pre/post adolescents.
 How do they differ?
 How are they recognized?
 Are there age differences when they appear?
Homosexuality
 156 youths from New York City area.
 14-21 (Mean age was 18.3)
 49% female, 51% male
 34% low SES, 66% high SES
 Self-defined Sexual Orientations
 66% Lesbian or Gay
 31% Bisexual
 3% Unsure
Homosexuality
 Interview/Survey Study
 Interviewed two times- one year apart
 Utilized “Sexual Risk Behavior Assessment – Youth
(SERBAS-Y)” and Identity Integration Checklist
 Identity Formation vs. Identity Integration
Homosexuality
 Identity Formation
 SERBAS-Y
 Asked ages of participants during six psychosexual
developmental milestones
 1) Age when first erotically attracted to the same sex
 2) Age when first fantasized about the same sex
 3) Age when first aroused by fantasizing or erotica of
the same sex
 4) Age when first thought they might be LGB
 5) Age when they knew for sure they were LGB
 6) Age when first experienced any same sex activities
Homosexuality
 Identity Integration
 Identity Integration Checklist (28 questions)
 Measured involvement in LGB social and
recreational activities
 Applied at both interviews; observe any change in
the sample group’s overall rate of integration as
their sexual identities grew and strengthened
 Other Factors
 The participants’ opinions of their sexual identity
 What other people’s opinions were (+/-)
 History of childhood sexual abuse
 Support from family and friends
Homosexuality
 All LGB youths undergo all of the psychosexual
milestones but at different rates

Early development vs. Late development
 LGB children that were sexually abused were two times
more likely to form their LGB identities earlier (early
development) than those with non-abusive pasts
 Overall

Identity integration & involvement decreased with
time
 Rate of disclosure increased
 Individuals’ comfort with their identities increased
 Overall attitude towards their sexuality increased
Homosexuality
GID
 246 preadolescent Italian children from Rome
 9-13 (Majority were 10)
 55.3% female, 44.7% male
 Average participants were of middle-low SES
GID
 Survey/Interview Study
 Completed questionnaires in class
 Children
 Gender Identity Interview for Children (GII)
 Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ-C) *
 Teachers *
 Gender Identity Questionnaire
 Parents *
 Child Behaviour Checklist
GID
 GII Questionnaire
 Gender cognitive confusion vs. Affective gender
confusion
 Gender cognitive confusion
 Are you a boy/girl? When you grow up with you be a
Mommy or a Daddy?
 Affective gender confusion
 Do you ever get mixed up and are not really sure if you
are a boy/girl?
GID
 Possible GID individual if they answered three or more
survey questions atypically.
 Most common atypical answer
 40.2% did not feel as if there were any positive
elements to their biological sex
 11 participants (all female) could have been considered
possible GID individuals (5%)
 Did not answer more atypically than typically, so
cannot be definitely labeled GID
 Could indicate flexible gender identity
 Another explanation is that those female participants
may have answered as they did because they live in a
society that generally favors the male sex.
Conclusion
 Age Differences of Studies
 GID  9-13
 Homosexuality  14-21
 Nature vs. Nurture
 Necessary to consider culture as a factor
Conclusion
 GID and Homosexuality may seem very closely
related, but understanding the differences between
these sex-related developments can help ease the
inner turmoil of individuals with GID and
homosexuality.
 Example:
 Understanding that an GID individual may not identify
as homosexual because while they are sexually
attracted to the same biological sex, they are
attracted to the opposite psychological gender.