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Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.

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Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in persons with gender dysphoria

Elena García-Vega1, Aida Camero2, María Fernández3 and Ana Villaverde2


1 Universidad de Oviedo, 2 Master Psicología General Sanitaria and 3 SESPA

Background: The little research there is about suicidal behaviour in those with gender dysphoria indicates that they are at a much higher risk of death by suicide and suicidal behaviour than the general population. The objective of this research is to analyse the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts reported by people who attended consultations at the Gender Identity Treatment Unit between 2007 and 2017 presenting complaints related to gender dysphoria. Method: An ex-post facto study with a sample of 151 people who were clients at the unit, 97 in the male to female trans group, 54 female to male. Clinical evaluations were carried out assessing variables of suicidal ideation and attempts, along with a possible psychiatric diagnosis. Results: Almost half (48.3%) reported suicidal ideation, 23.8% had attempted suicide. Conclusions: There are higher levels of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in people with gender dysphoria than in the general population. No differences were seen between groups in terms of gender/sex. Psychiatric morbidity was not an influential variable for suicidal behaviour. This suggests that suicidal ideation is one of the best indicators of the risk of suicidal behaviours.

Ideación e intención suicida en personas con disforia de género. Antecedentes: las escasas investigaciones sobre la conducta suicida de personas con disforia de género han señalado que estas tienen un riesgo de mortalidad y comportamiento suicida muy superior a la población general. El objetivo de la presente investigación es analizar la prevalencia de la ideación suicida y de los intentos de suicidio autoinformado de las personas que han realizado consulta entre 2007-2017, en una Unidad de Tratamiento de Identidad de Género por presentar quejas relacionadas con disforia de género. Método: estudio ex post facto con una muestra de 151 personas que realizaron demanda en esta unidad, 97 del grupo de hombre a mujer (64,2%) y 54 de mujer a hombre (35,8%). Se les realizó una evaluación clínica contemplando variables sobre ideación e intentos de suicidio, así como un posible diagnóstico psiquiátrico. Resultados: el porcentaje de estas personas con ideación autolítica asciende al 48,3%  y un 23,8% ha intentado suicidarse. Conclusiones: hay más tasas de ideación y tentativa de suicidio en las personas con disforia de género que en población general. No se observan diferencias significativas en razón de la variable sexo/género. La morbilidad psiquiátrica no resultó ser una variable influyente en la conducta suicida.

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