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• DSM-V Work Group Reports (Apr. 2009)
• Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group Report

Report of the DSM-V Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group

April 2009
Kenneth J. Zucker, Ph.D. 

Since the last summary report in October, 2008, the work group had a face-to-face meeting in Arlington, VA at APA headquarters in January, 2009. The GID Sub-work group then had another face-to-face meeting in New York City in March, 2009, following the meeting of the American Psychopathological Association. The Sexual Dysfunctions and Paraphilias Sub-work groups also met face-to-face in Arlington, VA, following a symposium that the work group at large presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research.

The first major task of the work group has been to write diagnostic literature reviews. The Sexual Dysfunctions Sub-work group has completed drafts of their literature reviews (with one topic still outstanding), as has the Paraphilias Sub-work group. The GID Sub-work group has one completed draft of a literature review and it is expected that the remainder will be completed by the end of April, 2009. Each sub-work group is providing internal feedback for the literature reviews and the next step will be to obtain feedback from advisors who have been nominated to comment on specific literature/diagnostic reviews. The Paraphilias Sub-work group has also nominated advisors to provide a literature review and recommendations about potential paraphilias that do not have formal status as specific diagnostic entities in the DSM-IV-TR. Once these reviews are completed, the sub-work group will provide a recommendation about potential inclusion. One literature review completed by the Paraphilias Sub-work group concerns Hypersexuality as a potential new diagnostic entity. The review is being evaluated internally by the Paraphilias and Sexual Dysfunctions Sub-work groups. Apart from the literature reviews, the Gender Identity Disorders Sub-work group has addressed criticisms and feedback from interested activist groups and other stakeholders. It developed a formal survey seeking input from various organizations that involve transgendered adults. Surveys were sent to over 60 organizations, with a closing date for response in October, 2008. Analysis of the survey data has been completed and a summary report is in preparation. 

The work group is now studying potential metrics for dimensional diagnosis and is also reviewing potential data sets for secondary data analysis as well as options for field trials.  Since the last report, members of the work group have presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (October 2008; Meyer-Bahlburg and Zucker) and the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (April 2009; Binik, Brotto, Segraves, Blanchard, Kafka, Krueger, Meyer-Bahlburg, Zucker). Presentations forthcoming will be at the American Psychiatric Association (May 2009; Drescher and Cohen-Kettenis), World Congress for Sexual Health (June 2009; Blanchard), World Professional Association for Transgendered Health (June 2009; Cohen-Kettenis), the International Academy of Sex Research (August 2009; Binik and Zucker), and the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (October 2009; Paraphilias sub-work group).