Social Cognition in Gender Dysphoria
Social Cognition in Gender Dysphoria Gender dysphoria is a condition in which it’s etiology is not yet well understood. Might its etiology involve disturbances to social cognition, and if so, how is social cognition disrupted? A review of studies on gender dysphoria relevant to social cognition [Table 1] reveals that theory of mind is largely impaired in gender dysphoria, with performance explaining 30-50% of the variance in gender dysphoric experiences, persons with gender dysphoria having poorer social skills, being more socially withdrawn, and having more social anxiety. In addition to impaired theory of mind, social behaviors similar to that of cluster B personality disorders are also found, including paranoia and narcissism. Table 1 Cloudfindings (2021a) Prevalence of autism approximately 10x that of the general population; higher scores on autism quotient and social responsiveness scale; narcissistic, obsessive compulsive, paranoid, and borderline personality disorders prevalent