APA CONSIDERS GAY CONVERSION THERAPY

Sponsored link.

In 1995, a resolution was defeated by the APA membership that would have called such therapy unethical professional behavior. A similar resolution was defeated by the American Psychiatric Association in 1994.

On 1997-AUG-14, they did pass a resolution which "stops short of declaring reparative or 'conversion' therapy unethical." It was passed by an overwhelming vote in spite of vehement opposition by "a vocal minority of psychologists, psychiatrists and religious groups."

The procedure of attempting to covert gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals to heterosexuality has been criticized as bigotry posing as science. Doug Haldeman, president of the APA's Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues helped to write the resolution. He said "In the past 10 years, Christian fundamentalists have enlisted a coalition of old-style psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers who have become very visible in this country and internationally, and who have as a mission to `help' homosexuals get rid of their sexual orientation...Our aim is not to try to stop them per se or interfere with anyone's right to practice [therapy] but we want to expose the social context that creates this market." APA officials are concerned that some who enter therapy are being coerced by their families, employers, church members etc.

Robert Pollard, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester, commented "The question is, are you going into this [therapy] knowing that homosexuality is not a mental illness, and knowing that you do not necessarily have a problem, and knowing that people who are gay and lesbian can demonstrate perfectly normal mental health?"

No real data is available on "reparative therapy." The APA has no idea how many people submit to this therapy. There has never been an article in any peer-reviewed journal on its effectiveness. "Advocates say they have many examples of people who have been successfully converted and lived happily and heterosexually ever after. Critics claim that in most cases the therapy does not work and in many cases it amplifies a homosexual person's feelings of alienation."

The APA resolution affirms that the therapist obtains "informed consent" from the client. This includes:

1. a full discussion of the client's potential for happiness as a homosexual,
2. communication to the client that there is no sound scientific evidence that the therapy works,
3. raising the possibility that therapy may exacerbate the client's problems, and
4. an analysis of the client's true motivation for wanting to change. 

Some comments on the resolution: