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Risk Factors for Eating Disorder Psychopathology within the Treatment Seeking Transgender Population: The Role of Cross‐Sex Hormone Treatment
Author(s) -
Jones Bethany Alice,
Haycraft Emma,
Bouman Walter Pierre,
Brewin Nicola,
Claes Laurence,
Arcelus Jon
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.2576
Subject(s) - psychopathology , transgender , eating disorders , psychology , population , clinical psychology , gender identity disorder , psychiatry , disordered eating , anxiety , medicine , gender identity , social psychology , environmental health , psychoanalysis
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.