**15. Psychological effect of circumcision**

An early operation minimizes the potential psychological damage caused by genital surgery (Manley, 1982). Also, avoids sensitive phases of psychosocial development (maternal bonding, separation anxiety, development of genital body image, gender identity, and phallic awareness), the disruption of which is thought to predispose to psychological problems in later life. The age at which surgery took place was not associated with abnormal psychological adjustment later in life (Freud 1955).
