Tad.
I do understand about the need for specific papers. But I suggest you might have better luck finding them by changing your search parameters.
As I said, medics tend to be a little reluctant to admit past mistakes.
I also feel that the emphasis upon schizophernia is frequently overstated. Many of us have various schizoid symptoms, but the modern emphasis is upon function. The presence of some symptoms associated with schizophernia are not, in themselves, sufficient to deny individuals the competance to make decisions.
Social isolation, for example, is recognised as a schizoid symptom. The feature itself, is often termed schizoid personality type. But speaking as someone who is very socially isolated, I function perfectly well. In social situations I do become increasingly uncomfortable, even to the point of losing some control of function. The solution is to avoid these situations. Indeed, many who habitually use alcohol or other mind altering substances, in social situations, are probably experienceing the same schizoid symptom. (I don't use any substances, personally)
If we look at one of the standard claims about transgender, for example. Woman, trapped in a man's body, (or the opposite). This is clearly a dilusional statement. But is it dilusional because the person genuinely believes they are a woman, and their outward apparance is little more than an inappropriate coat? Or is it simply a notion? If it is the former, has it resulted from personal commitment, or an actual distortion of the cognitive thinking process?
I strongly suggest you are very careful putting too much emphasis upon post mortum examinations of brain structure, or even EEG examinations of those claiming to be transgender. Any such evidence is selective, at best.
Similar claims have been made about homosexual people. (On this point, you may wish to look a little more carefully at the history of general acceptance of homosexuals. You may be surprised to discover the time line became very busy around the same time as President Clinton was elected, with a mandate to allow gay people into the US military).
Schizophernia is a complicated set of conditions. They could even be seen as forming a personality type, as is now recognised in most parts of the world, (I think, excluding the US), in the case of psychopathy.
What I'm trying to say to you Tad is to look at some past papers on schizophernia. Papers, approved for reference, should be available in your college library.
Most will tend to cover extreme cases. As someone who spent a number of years, working as a Registered Nurse, in psychiatric hospitals, I can say that a small minority of people with schizophernia, do indeed suffer quite extreme symptoms.
But you need to concentrate upon people who suffer mild symptoms, mainly those treated as out patients in the community.
If you want any sort of positive direction, may I suggest you treat all medical evidence as backup to the more impotant issue. That each of us, has an absolute right, to live as we choose. Attempting to demonstrate any rationale of transgender, based upon medicine is, at best, open for debate and perspective. At worst, the actual evidence simply doesn't exist.
edit, added a clrifying word to the statement: The feature itself, is termed schizoid personality type. Without this, the statement isn't actually true!!!
