GID and Gender-Variant Children in Italy: A Study in Preschool Children

Abstract

Considering the lack of research and literature in Italy about Gender Identity Disorder (GID) in children and the importance of an early diagnosis, the authors administrated the “Gender Identity Interview” (Zucker et al., 1993) to 350 children of 3, 4, and 5 years of age in seven different kindergartens in Florence, Italy. The aim of the research was to obtain a descriptive analysis of the main characteristics of gender identity in preschool children in relation to sex and age and to estimate the prevalence of gender dysphoria in this group. This was the first research about gender identity in preschool children in Italy and could represent a basis for further studies in this field.

KEYWORDS:

• gender identity
• preschool children
• gender identity disorder
• prevalence