Domenico Di Ceglie

• Consultant at Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

The paper describes three stories of children and adolescents with atypical gender identity development followed in psychotherapy. These cases have already been published, but are revisited here to show how these experiences contributed to the creation of the therapeutic intervention model of the Gender Identity Development Service originally estab...

Introduction In today’s Italy, gender diversity has assumed a remarkable resonance and visibility in both scientific and popular literature, which has facilitated the development of studies regarding treatments and support for children and adolescents with gender-related issues. Aim the aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of...

The chapter explores the exercise of autonomy and decision-making in two areas of the management of gender dysphoria in young people: 1) decision-making regarding the use of hypothalamic blockers, which suppress some aspects of pubertal development 2)the gender role expression of perceived identity during childhood. Factors which may influence the...

Over the years I have found a number of metaphors which have helped me to deal with particular dynamics in therapeutic work or with group and institutional conflicts involving the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock Centre. This nationwide service, which is for young people with atypical gender identity development and their famili...

This paper looks at the association between gender dysphoria (GD), scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and reported diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents of 166 young people presenting with GD (Mean age = 14.26, SD = 2.68) completed the SRS. Information concerning an ASD diagnosis was also extracted from the patient file...

The chapter describes the clinical management of gender dysphoria in adolescents as offered by the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock Centre in London. It provides a description of the presentations of gender dysphoria in adolescents, the associated psychosocial difficulties and a brief summary of the current explanatory models. I...

The Good Practice Guidelines for the Assessment and Treatment of Adults with Gender Dysphoria is a publication of the Intercollegiate Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The overall goal of the Good Practice Guidelines is to provide clinical guidance for health professionals to assist transsexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming...

Background: Recent studies have highlighted the co-occurrence of gender dysphoria (GD) in adolescence and Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC). Systemising and empathising are two psychological dimensions linked to ASC. People with ASC score below average on the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and average or above average on the Systemising Quotient (SQ). Base...

This chapter describes the approach to the care of children with gender dysphoria as developed in the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) in London. It makes references to the current and historical context of the early services in Toronto and Utrecht/Amsterdam. The reasons for offering professional help are discussed in a context that chall...

The 'extreme male brain' theory suggests females with Autism Spectrum Conditions are hyper-masculinized in certain aspects of behavior. We predicted that females with Gender Identity Disorder (who are masculinized) would have elevated Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) scores. AQ scores from five groups were compared: (1) n = 61 transmen (female-to-male...

Gender identity disorders (GID) in young people are complex and often distressing conditions. The paper starts by examining the experience of the professional worker resulting from the interaction with this group of young people and their families. This is frequently characterised by a sense of being under pressure and in danger. The view put forwa...

Professionals working in a service for young people with gender identity disorder (GID) often experience a particular type of pressure in the course of the work, which makes thinking and decision-making very difficult. The paper suggests that an examination of the position of the professional and of its service within the system may bring some reli...

Professionals working in a service for young people with Gender Identity Disorder (GID) often experience a particular type of pressure in the course of the work which makes thinking and decision-making very difficult. The paper suggests that an examination of the position of the professional and of the service, within the system may bring some reli...

Background: Females with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are hyper-masculinized in specific aspects of their behaviour and cognition. Objectives: Here we test the prediction that those females with extreme Gender Identity Disorder (GID) who opt for gender reassignment and who can therefore be assumed to be masculinized will have elevated AQ scores...

This article gives an account of an experience of group work with parents and carers who had children or adolescents with gender identity disorder (GID). The history of this intervention within the context of a service for children with gender identity problems is outlined. The limited literature on the subject is reviewed. Group meetings were held...

Goal: The goal of this symposium is to identify ‘state-of-the-art’ strategies for the use of antipsychotic medications in the management of children and adolescents with major psychiatric disorders. Learning objectives: 1. Define pediatric populations for whom second-generation antipsychotics are indicated 2. Identify the role of second-generation...

An investigation of the psychosocial development of children of transsexual parents provides a special opportunity to examine whether and how parental gender role influences children’s own gender development, mental health, family relationships and peer relationships. Data on the presence or absence of gender identity disorder, depression, peer rel...

This paper presents findings of a detailed service audit of cases seen at a specialist service for children and adolescents with gender identity disorders. The audit looked at clinical features, associated features, demographic characteristics and complexity of the cases. Data were extracted from patient files of the first 124 cases seen by the ser...

The recent film Boys Don't Cry illustrates in a highly dramatised form the problems that the phenomenon of gender identity disorder can create in an extreme situation. The film is based on the true story of a young person, Brandon, with a female body who perceived himself as a male. In the film we do not know when the issue of his male gender ident...

Adolescent Psychiatry (Volumes 22 & 23) A. H. Esman, L. T. Flaherty & H. A. Horowitz (Eds.) New Jersey: The Analytic Press, 1998. pp. 330. $49.95. (hb). - - Volume 5 Issue 3 - Domencio Di Ceglie

Gender identity disorders in children and adolescents are uncommon and complex conditions. They are often associated with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Intense distress is often experienced, particularly in adolescence. Treatment and prevention of the emotional and behavioural problems are essential, even if the atypical gender developmen...

Children of Alcoholics: A Critical Appraisal of Theory and Research. By Kenneth J. Sher . Illinois: University of Chicago Press. 1992. 226 pp. £19.95. - Volume 162 Issue 6 - Domenico Di Ceglie