In the United States, thousands of young people reside in private schools aimed at reforming 'troubled teens'. These 'troubled teens' are young people who are considered to have emotional, behavioural and/or substance misuse problems. Therapeutic boarding schools are programmes that combine educational classes and group therapy in a self-contained residential facility that runs year-round. Case study interviews with former US-based therapeutic boarding school students demonstrate the role of sanism, adultism and epistemic injustice in constructing and regulating the 'troubled teen'. The schools' strict structure and surveillance culture could not override students will and their ability to find means to resist. The article's central aim is to centre the perspectives of former students and critique social control of young people in therapeutic boarding schools.
Every year thousands of young people are sent to therapeutic boarding schools (TBS) in the USA. TBS are residential programmes that combine educational classes and group therapy in self-contained facilities that operate year-round. The programmes are part of a wider ‘troubled teen industry’ that seeks to reform young people perceived as having mental health and/or substance misuse problems. Interviews were conducted with former TBS students about their experiences as youth inside these facilities. The research was undertaken from a survivor–researcher approach and was conducted by a former TBS student with former students. This article will focus on the experiences of two LGBTQ+ former students who were subjected to conversion therapy in TBS. The case studies will describe conversion practices that pressure people to change or suppress their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Conversion therapy manifested in overt and covert forms that resulted in lasting psychological trauma. The case studies highlight the impacts of conversion therapy as epistemic injustice and the ways in which the former students adapted to and resisted institutional harm. Implications for practice include the importance for social workers to understand conversion therapy as a dynamic, evolving and potentially subtle practice.
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