Those in the LGBTQ+ community who were exposed to conversion practice or what is also known as conversion therapy have poor mental health, according to a study conducted and released in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.
The results, derived from the data of 4,426 self-identified LGBTQ+ adults living in the United States, showed that those, who were experience activities, which are considered as controversial by and large, concerning gay conversion therapy, may have more profound issues with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal thoughts or attempts. The transgender participants indicated that they were more likely to present with overall symptoms of mental health.
Psychological, behavioural, physical and faith based practices are not uncommon in recovery processes.
It is still unknown how frequently it is implemented in the USA—prior studies indicate that it is possibly practised by 4%-34% of LGBTQ+ people—many LGBTQ+ individuals disclose that they have ever undergone conversion practice with rates being higher among the transgender population than the cisgender population.
The highest number of participants reported that conversion practice was administered by a religious entity (52%, 100 out of 191) whereas the least number of participants stated that it was done by a mental health provider or entity (29%, 55 of 191). Interventions addressing participants’ gender identity was most frequently provided by mental health care professionals or institutions (54%, 46/85) and the second, religious leader or religious institution (33%, 28/85), and in parallel (13%, 11/85).
The authors still identify some limitations to their study. It is quite possible that due to cognitive edit distortions in people’s memory, some of the incidents of conversion practice could have been misclassified.
The identified study sample may not include individuals who have been most affected mentally by such a conversion practice because such a step may cause them to postpone their willingness to assert their identity publicly or participate in research, such as The PRIDE Study.
In a linked Comment, the author Jack Drescher, MD, a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, USA, who did not participate in the study, noted, “When interpreting the Article by Tran and collaborators, it is essential to understand that mainstream professional mental health associations must become more effective in monitoring and disciplining such licensee practitioners for their unauthorised conversion therapies … Such professional organisations’ code of conduct and best practices should reflect and adapt
He continues, “Instead of unjustified and intrusive clinical concerns about why the patient has the sexual orientation or gender identity as they have reported, we should ask how to help such persons to live more freely with their condition in the future.
Reference: Lancet. Conversion practice linked to greater risk of mental health symptoms, US surveys of LGBTQ+ people suggest. Medical Xpress‌
