Prospective Evaluation of Self-Reported Aggression in Transgender Persons.

BACKGROUND: Although research on the relation between testosterone and aggression in humans is inconclusive, guidelines (including the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care, edition 7) have warned for an increase in aggression in transgender men taking testosterone treatment. AIMS: To investigate the association between levels of testosterone and aggression in treatment-seeking transgender people and explore the role of mental health psychopathology (anxiety and depressive symptoms) and social support in aggression in this population. METHODS: Every transgender person invited for assessment at a national transgender health clinic in the United Kingdom during a 3-year period (2012-2015) completed self-report measures for interpersonal problems, including levels of aggression (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems [IIP-32]), symptoms of anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]), social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), and experiences of transphobia before and 1 year after the initiation of gender-affirming hormonal therapy. Correlations between prospective scores for the IIP-32 factor "too aggressive" and prospective levels of sex steroids, prospective psychological (HADS), and baseline psychosocial measurements were tested. OUTCOMES: Prospective scores for the factor "too aggressive" were not correlated to prospective serum testosterone levels. RESULTS: Results of 140 people (56 transgender men, 84 transgender women) were analyzed. A prospective increase in scores for the factor "too aggressive" of the IIP-32 in transgender men 1 year after being treated with testosterone treatment or a decrease of the IIP-32 aggression scores in transgender women 1 year after gender-affirming hormonal therapy was not found. However, a positive correlation was found between increasing HADS anxiety scores and increasing scores for the IIP-32 "too aggressive" score in the entire study population and a positive correlation with lower support from friends in transgender women. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Hormone-prescribing physicians can be reassured that the long-term administration of testosterone in transgender men does not increase aggressive behavior. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This is the 1st prospective study to assess the effect of gender-affirming hormonal care on aggression. Limitations included the use of different laboratories, the use of a patient-reported outcome measure, and the lack of aggression subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone therapy was not associated with an increase in levels of aggression in transgender men or a decrease in aggressive behavior in transgender women on antiandrogen and estrogen therapy, but other psychological and/or social factors, such as anxiety levels, appear to contribute to self-reported aggression in transgender people. Defreyne J, T'Sjoen G, Bouman WP, et al. Prospective Evaluation of Self-Reported Aggression in Transgender Persons. J Sex Med 2018;15:768-776.

Levels of depression in transgender people and its predictors: Results of a large matched control study with transgender people accessing clinical services.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a serious disorder which significantly impacts wellbeing and quality of life. Studies exploring mental wellbeing in the transgender population are mostly limited by small, non-homogenous samples and lack of matched controls. This study aimed to address these limitations and explore depression rates in a large sample of transgender people, compared with matched controls from the general population, as well as factors predicting depression in those taking cross-sex hormone treatment (CHT) compared to those not. METHODS: Transgender individuals (n = 913) completed a measure of depression, measures which predict psychopathology (self-esteem, victimization, social support, interpersonal problems), and information regarding CHT use. Participants were matched by age and experienced gender with adults from the general population who had completed the measure of depression. RESULTS: Individuals were categorized as having no, possible or probable depressive disorder. Transgender individuals not on CHT had a nearly four-fold increased risk of probable depressive disorder, compared to controls. Older age, lower self-esteem, poorer interpersonal function and less social support predicted depressive disorder. Use of CHT was associated with less depression. LIMITATIONS: Participants were attending a national gender identity service and therefore represent only a sub-group of transgender people. Due to the cross-sectional design, longitudinal research is required to fully confirm the finding that CHT use reduces depression. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that non-treated transgender individuals have an increased risk of a depressive disorder. Interventions offered alongside gender affirming treatment to develop interpersonal skills, increase self-esteem and improve social support may reduce depression and prepare individuals for a more successful transition.

Risk Factors for Eating Disorder Psychopathology within the Treatment Seeking Transgender Population: The Role of Cross-Sex Hormone Treatment.

Many transgender people experience high levels of body dissatisfaction, which is one of the numerous factors known to increase vulnerability to eating disorder symptoms in the cisgender (non-trans) population. Cross-sex hormones can alleviate body dissatisfaction so might also alleviate eating disorder symptoms. This study aimed to explore risk factors for eating disorder symptoms in transgender people and the role of cross-sex hormones. Individuals assessed at a national transgender health service were invited to participate (N = 563). Transgender people not on cross-sex hormones reported higher levels of eating disorder psychopathology than people who were. High body dissatisfaction, perfectionism, anxiety symptoms, and low self-esteem were risk factors for eating psychopathology, but, after controlling for these, significant differences in eating psychopathology between people who were and were not on cross-sex hormones disappeared. Cross-sex hormones may alleviate eating disorder psychopathology. Given the high prevalence of transgender identities, clinicians at eating disorder services should assess for gender identity issues. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Eating symptomatology and general psychopathology in patients with anorexia nervosa from China, UK and Spain: A cross-cultural study examining the role of social attitudes.

Cultural studies exploring differences in the manifestation of anorexia nervosa (AN) have primarily focus on Western and non-Western cultures. However, no study so far has considered the role that social attitudes (i.e. Collectivist vs. Individualist cultural values) have in the clinical manifestations of eating disorders, including AN patients. With this in mind, the aim of this study is to compare eating and general psychopathology in a large sample of individuals diagnosed with AN from China, Spain, and United Kingdom (UK), in order to study the differences according to belonging to Western or non-Western country, or the country's Individualist Index (IDV). The total sample comprised on 544 adults with a diagnosis of AN recruited from People´s Republic of China (n = 72), UK (n = 117), and Spain (n = 355). Assessment measures included the Eating Disorders Inventory and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Our results show significant differences in most of the eating and psychopathological indices between the three countries. Patients from Western societies (Spain and UK) share more similarities regarding psychopathological expression of AN than the non-Western country (China). While Western countries show higher levels of body dissatisfaction, somatization and overall psychopathology, Chinese patients tend to deny or minimize depression, anxiety and other psychopathological symptoms. Besides, the IDV shows cultural differences in the interpersonal sensitivity scale, being AN patients from UK (the more individualistic society) who presented with higher levels of interpersonal sensitivity (i.e. discomfort during interpersonal interactions and more negative expectations concerning interpersonal behavior). In conclusion, our findings suggest that psychopathological expression of AN is better explained by Western/Eastern influence than by individualist/collectivist values. Although the diagnosis for the eating disorder may be the same, differences in the psychopathology comorbid to the eating disorders may suggest the need for treatments to be modified according to the culture.

The Compulsive Exercise Test: confirmatory factor analysis and links with eating psychopathology among women with clinical eating disorders.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) among an adult sample of patients with eating disorders. METHOD: Three hundred and fifty six patients and 360 non-clinical control women completed the CET and the Eating Disorders Examination questionnaire (EDE-Q). RESULTS: A confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the clinical data showed a moderate fit to the previously published five factor model derived from a community sample (Taranis L, Touyz S, Meyer C, Eur Eat Disord Rev 19:256-268, 2011). The clinical group scored significantly higher than the non-clinical group on four of the five CET subscales, and logistic regression analysis revealed that the CET could successfully discriminate between the two groups. A Receiver Operating Curve analysis revealed that a cut-off score of 15 on the CET resulted in acceptable values of both sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The CET appears to have a factor structure that is acceptable for use with an adult sample of patients with eating disorders. It can identify compulsive exercise among patients with eating disorders and a cut-off score of 15 is acceptable as indicating an appropriate cut-off point.

Predictors of Positive Treatment Outcome in People With Anorexia Nervosa Treated in a Specialized Inpatient Unit: The Role of Early Response to Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors which predict positive treatment outcome in inpatients with anorexia nervosa (AN), particularly the role of early treatment response. METHOD: 102 patients entering specialist inpatient treatment were assessed for eating disorder history, psychopathology, and motivation to change. Predictive factors assessed were: early treatment response defined as weight increase of at least 0.5-1 kg/week during the first 6 weeks of treatment (n=87), admission body mass index (BMI), onset age, chronicity, motivation to change, diagnosis, and previous hospitalization for AN. Positive treatment outcome was defined as achieving a BMI of 17.5 kg/m(2) within an individual time frame. RESULTS: Logistic regression indicated that patients were 18 times more likely to reach positive treatment outcome if they met the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence weight guidelines within the first 6 weeks of hospitalization. Higher admission BMI was also found to predict positive treatment outcome. DISCUSSION: Higher entry BMI and early weight gain predict positive treatment outcome in individuals receiving specialist AN inpatient treatment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Evaluation of a Motivation and Psycho-Educational Guided Self-Help Intervention for People with Eating Disorders (MOPED).

High dropout rates and poor levels of engagement are well documented for patients with eating disorders. Utilising motivational techniques and providing psycho-education have been suggested as ways to reduce treatment disengagement. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a newly developed motivational and psycho-educational (MOPED) guided self-help intervention for people with eating disorders on engagement and retention in therapy. Patients who received MOPED pre-treatment (n = 79) were compared with a diagnosis-matched group of patients receiving treatment as usual (TAU; n = 79). The study found that patients receiving MOPED had a higher engagement rate than those within the TAU group. Specifically, patients in the anorexic spectrum were found to present with both higher rates of engagement and completion of therapy when issued with MOPED in comparison with TAU. Self-help packages using motivational style could be a valuable and cost-effective intervention for patients with eating disorders.

Body image dissatisfaction and eating-related psychopathology in trans individuals: a matched control study.

High levels of body dissatisfaction have already been reported in the trans population; however, the root of this dissatisfaction, and its association with eating disordered behaviours, has not been studied in-depth. This study aims to assess eating disorder risk by comparing 200 trans people, 200 people with eating disorders and 200 control participants' scores on three subscales of the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and to further explore dissatisfaction in the trans participants using the Hamburg Body Drawing Scale (HBDS). The results showed that overall participants with eating disorders scored higher than trans or control groups on all EDI-2 measures, but that trans individuals had greater body dissatisfaction than control participants and, importantly, trans males had comparable body dissatisfaction scores to eating disordered males. Drive for thinness was greater in females (cis and trans) compared with males. In relation to HBDS body dissatisfaction, both trans males and trans females reported greatest dissatisfaction not only for gender-identifying body parts but also for body shape and weight. Overall, trans males may be at particular risk for eating disordered psychopathology and other body image-related behaviours.

Predictors of Outcome among Pathological Gamblers Receiving Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate posttreatment changes of individuals with a diagnosis of gambling disorder (GD) treated with group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), to assess the potential moderator effect of sex on CBT outcome, and to explore the best predictors of posttreatment changes, relapse, and dropout rates. METHODS: A cohort design was applied with a prospective follow-up. The sample comprised 440 patients and the CBT intervention consisted of 16 weekly outpatient group sessions and a 3-month follow-up period. RESULTS: Patients showed significant improvements in both the level of psychopathology and the severity of the gambling behavior. High self-transcendence and the involvement of the spouse or partner in the therapy predicted a higher risk of relapse. Younger age and low education predicted a higher risk of dropout. CONCLUSION: Many patients with GD can be treated with strategies to improve self-control and emotional regulation, but other techniques should be incorporated to address the individual characteristics of each patient. This is particularly important in group therapy, in which the same treatment is applied to several patients simultaneously. The involvement of a family member needs to be carefully considered since it may have a negative effect on the response to treatment if not adequately managed.

Clinical normative data for eating disorder examination questionnaire and eating disorder inventory for DSM-5 feeding and eating disorder classifications: a retrospective study of patients formerly diagnosed via DSM-IV.

Normative data for measures of eating disorder (ED) psychopathology provide a fundamental description of a presentation and a means to establish clinically significant change following an intervention. Clinical norms for the ED population are lacking and out of date following the publication of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM) 5. This study aimed to show that scores from the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-q) and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) differ across ED diagnosis groups and provide norm data for DSM-5 ED diagnoses. Patients (n = 932) presenting to an out-patient service over 5 years were retrospectively re-diagnosed based on DSM-5 criteria. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference on most subscale scores of the EDE-q and the EDI across diagnosis. Means, standard deviations and percentile ranks are presented by diagnosis. The norms detailed contribute to improving the accuracy with which scores are interpreted when using DSM-5 and aid with the assessment of clinically significant change following treatment.

Anorexia nervosa and low weight EDNOS: a 10-year study of service consumption and outcome in a local specialised service for adults.

A 10-year retrospective case note study of adults with eating disorders at low weight examined levels of service consumption and the outcome in terms of body mass index. Records of 202 such patients, referred to a specialist secondary service, were studied. Just over one quarter of the patients failed to engage in treatment, attending five or fewer appointments. Of those who did engage, most were treated as out-patients and had an average contact with the service of almost 2.5 years and 46 sessions. Only about one in six patients was admitted as an in-patient at any time. These results suggest that most adults with eating disorder at low weight can be managed as out-patients. However, service providers should expect prolonged contact and high service consumption.