At the Italian Istitute of Scientific Sexology in Rome our team collected information on the adversity, emergences and prejudices against transgenderism. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of perceived group-person discrimination, self-esteem and optimism among transsexual men and moreover, to measure the perceived discrimination in relation to self-esteem, Big Five and optimism in this clinical group.

The study sample consisted of 100 individuals (including 30 MtF) by convenience sampling. Respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire with several measures, including perceived discrimination. In-group social interaction and Big Five were assessed with a measure for a fast screening of the Five Factor Model (FFM).

Transsexual men reported greater perceived group discrimination but a smaller perceived person discrimination, according to the Discrepancy group-person discrimination theory. Preliminary results showed that the clinical population (N=30) differs significantly from the non clinical population (N=30 randomly selected). Significant predictors of perceived discrimination were found.

Seeing the procedure of the research in progress and evaluating the importance to give results only at the end of the pilot-study, we believe that in addition, it would be useful to illustrate the development of the study and the construction of the protocols. Discriminant Analyses are currently still in progress with a larger sample.