An Exploratory Study of Early Childhood Experiences and Gender Dysphoria

Abstract

The issue of gender dysphoria has become more commonly discussed in the social science literature and media. This phenomenon seems to be becoming more prevalent among children, adolescents, and adults. Therefore, it is important to attempt to understand this topic to inform approaches and treatment. It is necessary to first define and understand terms relevant to the discussion such as identity, gender, gender identity, and gender dysphoria from multiple secular perspectives and a Catholic-Christian perspective. Through this dissertation, the researcher sought to explore early childhood experiences and their relationship to gender dysphoria by examining attachment injuries in childhood and through biological, psychological, social, and spiritual perspectives. The childhood attachment injuries under exploration were trauma, acceptance, self-acceptance, family relationships, and peer relationships and bullying. The hypothesis was that biological, psychological, social, and spiritual perspectives, as well as many different attachment injuries from early childhood, may correlate with the experience of gender dysphoria in adulthood.