Psychotherapy and transsexualism.

We questioned whether transsexuals always require the psychotherapy demanded by the health insurance system in Germany. For this purpose, we examined 430 transsexuals who came to our facility between 1988 and 2006. At the first consultation after the history was taken, they filled out standardised questionnaires, which are needed for proper diagnosis of psychotherapeutic treatment. These questionnaires included the Complaint Questionnaire (BFB), the Behaviour Questionnaire (VFB) and the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-A). It was found that two-thirds of all transsexuals do not require deeper psychotherapy. However, there was evidence of personality deficits in a subgroup of transsexuals for whom supportive psychotherapy should be recommended. The conditions under which psychotherapy and other forms of support are successful are discussed.