The effect of testosterone therapy on personality traits of trans men: a controlled prospective study in Germany and Switzerland.
Gender dysphoria in transgender men is generally treated with exogenous testosterone administration aiming to suppress secondary female sex characteristics and achieve masculinization. However, the effect of testosterone on the personality of transgender men remains largely unknown. Therefore, we conducted a controlled study with 23 trans men (M = 27.2 years, Range = 18-51 years), recruited from internet-groups, medical and psychiatric services in Switzerland and Germany versus 27 cisgender women matched by age as control group. Data were collected prior to hormone therapy (HT), three and six months after the first treatment. Non-pathological personality traits (Big Five) were measured with the revised NEO-Personality-Inventory (NEO-PI-R). The greatest changes in the Big Five and its subdimensions occurred within the first three months. Interaction effects showed a significant decrease in the dimension Neuroticism (p < 0.01) - with the most relevant decline in its facet Depression - conversely, Extraversion (p < 0.001) increased, in particular, within its facets of Assertiveness (p < 0.01) and Warmth (p < 0.01). Expectedly, personality traits were stable in the control group. An overall decrease in interpersonal stress-related traits and a substantial increase in enhanced social-interaction traits and personal well-being occurred. These results enable medical services to ensure that informed-consent prior to HT is evidence-based with respect to potential changes in personality and may reduce concerns of trans men and their significant others regarding increased aggressiveness.
['Metzger|Nicole Y|NY|', 'Boettger|Soenke|S|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D003863:Depression D005260:Female D000068116:Gender Dysphoria D005858:Germany D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D000075384:Neuroticism D010551:Personality D011446:Prospective Studies D013557:Switzerland D013739:Testosterone D063106:Transgender Persons D055815:Young Adult
Gender dysphoria Transgender Hormone therapy Non-pathological personality traits Big Five Social-interaction Gender incongruence