The empirical literature on training mental health providers in queer-affirming care: Considering the clinical implications.

Abstract

We commend Bettergarcia et al. (2021) on their thoughtful and thorough systematic review on mental health provider trainings in queer-affirming care. Prior published reviews have focused on sexual and gender minority-affirming therapies (O'Shaughnessy & Speir, 2018) but fewer have focused on the training needed to implement those therapies. The findings of Bettergarcia et al. ( 2021) empirically validate the intuitive sense many of us already had, that is, that an analysis of the relevant articles generated more questions than they answered, and that there is no gold (or even silver or bronze)

Training in LGBTQ-affirmative cognitive behavioral therapy: A randomized controlled trial across LGBTQ community centers.

“…Finally, study outcomes were limited to the perspective of mental health providers and did not include change in outcomes among the LGBTQ clients who such a training is ultimately expected to benefit. Research that links therapist competence in LGBTQ-affirmative CBT to client improvements in mental health is needed to establish the real-world impact of such training (e.g., Jaffer et al, 2016); indeed, most existing assessments of LGBTQ-affirmative training has been limited to therapists (e.g., Pantalone & Abreu, 2021). Current evidence is, in fact, mixed regarding whether therapist CBT competence is reflected in client outcomes (Davidson et al, 2004; Haug et al, 2016; Kuyken & Tsivrikos, 2009; Rapley & Loades, 2019; Simons et al, 2010).…”