Gender identity disorders in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Aspects related to the clinical differentiation of gender identity disorders in patients with schizophrenia remain insufficiently studied. AIM: To examine the clinical and psychopathological characteristics of gender identity disorders in schizophrenia spectrum disorders in terms of their typology, dynamics, and treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 35 patients aged 18–65 years diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizotypal disorder according to the ICD-10, who reported dissatisfaction with their biological gender. Clinical-psychopathological, clinical-catamnestic, and statistical research methods were used. RESULTS: A typological differentiation of gender identity disorders was conducted, determined by the structure of mental disorders and the patterns of the endogenous process course. The studied conditions were classified into two types: in Type 1, gender identity disorders manifested within the framework of affective-delusional psychoses in episodic schizophrenia (n=13), while in Type 2, they were observed in schizotypal disorder (n=22). In Type 1, the manifestation of gender identity disorders predominantly (69.2% of cases) occurred between the ages