Table 1 DSM-V criteria for gender dysphoria in children [2, 83]. The table lists the current diagnostic criteria proposed by the 2013 DSM-V for the diagnosis of gender dysphoria in children

A marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender, of at least 6 months duration, as manifested by at least 6 of the following indicators:

 • A strong desire to be of the other gender or an insistence that he or she is the other gender.

 • In boys, a strong preference for cross-dressing or simulating female attire; in girls, a strong preference for wearing only typical masculine clothing and a strong resistance to the wearing of typical feminine clothing.

 • A strong preference for cross-gender roles in make-believe or fantasy play.

 • A strong preference for the toys, games, or activities typical of the other Gender.

 • A strong preference for playmates of the other gender.

 • In boys, a strong rejection of typically masculine toys, games, and activities and a strong avoidance of rough-and-tumble play; in girls, a strong rejection of typical feminine toys, games, and activities.

 • A strong dislike of one’s sexual anatomy.

 • A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics that match one’s experienced gender.

In order to meet criteria for the diagnosis, the condition must also be associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, school, or other important areas of functioning [83].