Transsexuals: A Research Note

Joel Charles Snell MA
Emeritus
Kirkwood College
INTRODUCTION:
McFalls Jr. et. al assessed the opinions of a purposive sample of 94 Psychiatrists from 15 major population centers in the United States. Aside from demographics, the authors asked the therapist’s opinion of transsexuals. Basically, is this condition on balance constitutional of more likely to be environmental? So both nature and nurture were included. They used an ordinal index (modified Likert) to question the opinions of these medical doctors. The results were significant in terms that their answered favored that transsexuals is learned.
DESCRIPTION:
Given the last decades findings relative to genetic forces that they reviewed, this was a surprise. They did conjecture that responses were more likely to be from older psychiatrists who may have been Freudian. If that is the case, the Freudian perspective is highly environmental.
METHOD:
In this short study, a review panel of individuals who work in the social methodologies area were asked individually the following. First, a brief review of the definition of transsexuals was given. Second, a nominalized form of a nature/nurture answer in which the respondent did not give the degree that they believed the answer to be, but a generalized overall assessment. Thus transsexuals is more likely to be on balance genetic or on balance environmental. The degree of the two forces were not measured. Further, they were free to openly discuss and support their findings without interpretation from the interviewer.
SAMPLE:
The review panel was composed of 10 individuals including a psychiatrist, human sexuality professors, school psychologists, sociologists, criminologist, psychiatric nursing and a neuropsychologist. All had contact with transsexuals. There was a mix of race, age, sex, ideology, theology training, and related. The dual question was asked from a. constitutional organic or b. environmental response followed by their open discussion.
RESULTS:
Nine of the ten, to varying degrees supported that transsexuals is more likely on balance to be constitutional-organic. The lone dissenter was an evangelical Christian and conservative ideologically. This is a more varied panel than the original study by McFall’s Jr. et. al. Further, this is not a panel of experts. They all knew something about the subject which was gained from the knowledge of the definition and open discussion afterwards. If they were experts, one would suggest that the study be called a panel of experts. However, this was a review panel and a small number. However, the variety and variability would suggest that this study would support the author’s comment on the age and Freudian theoretical stance of the 94 psychiatrist.
The genius of the McFalls Jr. et. all study is the review of the literature in the area of transsexuals and other topics related to this phenomena. This study would support their observation of the etiology of the Freudian perspective. Further studies should enlighten the fields of study from all of the panel.
The usual refrain at the end of the study is appropriate here. More study is needed.
CONCLUSION:
A review panel from various fields that work in some capacity dealing with transsexuals, would suggest that this area of behavior is more likely to from genetic, constitutional, and organic stimuli. However, the environmental aspect should not be completely dismissed.
REFERENCES.
McFalls, Jr, J. B, J. Gallagher III, M. Halluska, & J. Prince (2006) Attitudes of Psychiatriast Concerning the Nature and Causes of Transexualism: A National Survey Psychology and Education An Interdisciplinary Journal, Vol 43,/#1/26-33.