Attitudes of behavior therapists toward homosexuality

Abstract

Practicing psychologists frequently are asked to provide services to individuals whose backgrounds may differ from their own. Education in multicultural issues increasingly is being considered an important component of doctoral training programs. This article discusses the results of a survey of behavioral doctoral students concerning their graduate training on gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) issues. The results indicate that participants (a) have received minimal training in GLB issues, (b) feel inadequate in working with GLB individuals, and (c) express significantly more favorable attitudes toward gay men than a sample from the general population. Included are recommendations for improving training in sexual orientation issues in behavioral clinical psychology programs.