Assessing gender dysphoria in Turkish adolescents: psychometric validation of the Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale-Gender Spectrum.

Abstract

Background: Gender dysphoria is linked to various psychosocial challenges in adolescence, underscoring the need to identify and support youth experiencing gender-related distress. Although gender identity exists on a spectrum beyond the binary, no validated tool currently exists in Turkey that uses inclusive, gender-neutral language to assess it in adolescents.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Turkish adaptation of the Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale-Gender Spectrum (UGDS-GS) among clinical- and community-based adolescents.

Method: A total of 240 participants aged 12-23 years were included. The validity of UGDS-GS was assessed through content validity and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). A sociodemographic data form, UGDS, UGDS-GS, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and Youth Self-Report (YSR) were utilised.

Results: Findings demonstrated strong content validity, with a content validity Index of 0.69, and robust construct validity, indicated by a comparative fit index of 0.993 and a root-mean-square error of approximation of 0.071 following the exclusion of three items. UGDS-GS effectively differentiated scores across demographic groups, showing significant variances based on assigned gender and age. The scale also exhibited excellent criterion validity, evidenced by an area under the curve of 0.947 in receiver operating characteristic analysis, with high sensitivity (80%) and specificity (95.9%) at an optimal cut-off value of 42.50. With a Cronbach's alpha of 0.935, UGDS-GS demonstrated strong internal consistency and substantial test-receiver operating characteristic retest reliability (ICC 0.884), alongside notable but weak correlations with several RSES subscales and low to moderate correlations with YSR scores.

Conclusions: These results affirm that tUGDS-GS is valuable and reliable in assessing gender dysphoria in Turkish adolescents. Further research is warranted to improve applicability in diverse contexts and populations.