What are the causes and symptoms of gender identity disorder?
The cause of gender identity disorder is not known. It has been theorized that a prenatal hormonal imbalance may predispose individuals to the disorder. Problems in the individual’s family interactions or family dynamics have also been postulated as having some causal impact. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), the diagnostic reference standard for United States mental health professionals, describes the criteria for gender identity disorder as an individual’s strong and lasting cross-gender identification and their persistent discomfort with their biological gender role. This discomfort must cause a significant amount of distress or impairment in the functioning of the individual. DSM-IV specifies that children must display at least four of the following symptoms of cross-gender identification for a diagnosis of gender identity disorder: • a repeatedly stated desire to be, or insistence that he or she is, the opposite sex • a preference
