Schizoid Personality Disorder and Gender

Schizoid personality disorder (PD) is one of several PDs included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10). Researchers have seldom studied it rigorously in its own right. Knowledge about it comes primarily from case studies or epidemiological research. Issues pertaining to sex, gender, or transgender identity have hardly been addressed.

The ICD-10 and the DSM-5 contain no commentary about differential expression of schizoid PD symptoms on the basis of sex or gender. The DSM-5 characterizes it as a pervasive tendency to be excessively detached and emotionally inexpressive across social/interpersonal situations, as captured by at least four of the following symptoms:

• 1.
  Social anhedonia (lack of enjoyment of close relationships)
• 2.
  Social withdrawal (almost always choosing solitary ...