Homosexuality. IV. Psychiatric Disorders and Disability in the Female Homosexual
MARCEL T. SAGHIR M.D.1,
ELI ROBINS M.D.2,
BONNIE WALBRAN 3, , and
KATHYE A. GENTRY 4
1 Fellow in the department of epidemiology and medical statistics, London School of Hygiene and the social psychiatry research unit, Maudsley Hospital, London, England
2 Wallace Renard Professor of Psychiatry and head of the department, department of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63110, psychiatrist-in-chief, Barnes and Renard Hospitals
3 Research assistant in social psychiatry, department of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63110
4 Research assistant in sociology in psychiatry, department of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63110
A study of 57 homosexual women and 43 single heterosexual controls revealed slightly more clinically significant changes and disability in the lives of the homosexual women as compared with the heterosexual women. The chief differences were in the increased prevalence of alcoholism and of attempted suicide. Despite these difficulties, the homosexual women were able to achieve, adapt, and be productive citizens.
