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Transgender Congruence Scale (TCS)

The Transgender Congruence Scale (TCS) includes 12 items that capture the degree to which a transgender individual feels comfortable and genuine about their gender identity and appearance. There are two subscales of TCS: Appearance Congruence and Gender Identity Acceptance.

Categories

Geographies Tested: Canada,United States of America

Populations Included: Female, Male, Transgender, Other

Age Range: Adults

Items:

Appearance Congruence

  1. My outward appearance represents my gender identity.
  2. I experience a sense of unity between my gender identity and my body.
  3. My physical appearance adequately expresses my gender identity.
  4. I am generally comfortable with how others perceive my gender identity when they look at me.
  5. My physical body represents my gender identity.
  6. The way my body currently looks does not represent my gender identity.*
  7. I am happy with the way my appearance expresses my gender identity.
  8. I do not feel that my appearance reflects my gender identity.*
  9. I feel that my mind and body are consistent with one another.

Gender Identity Acceptance
10. I am not proud of my gender identity.*
11. I am happy that I have the gender identity that I do.
12. I have accepted my gender identity.
* Items are reverse scored

Response Options Strongly Disagree - 1
Somewhat Disagree - 2
Neither Agree nor Disagree - 3
Somewhat Agree - 4
Strongly Agree - 5

Scoring Procedures

Items are averaged to create a scale. Item #6, 8, and 10 are reverse coded. Higher scores indicate higher levels of congruency between an individual's appearance and gender identity.

Original Citation

Kozee, H. B., Tylka, T. L., & Bauerband, L. A. (2012). Measuring transgender individuals’ comfort with gender identity and appearance. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 36(2), 179-196. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684312442161


Psychometric Score

Ease of Use Score

Scoring breakdown

Formative Research

Qualitative Research

Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework

Field Expert Input

Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing

Reliability

Internal

Test-retest

Interrater

Validity

Content

Face

Criterion (gold-standard)

Construct

KEY

Ease of Use

Readability

Scoring Clarity

Length

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