Exploring the Relationship Between Gay Affirmative Practice and Empathy Among Mental Health Professionals

Abstract

During the last several decades, psychologists have placed emphasis on multicultural competence as an essential aspect of training and practice. However, despite this emphasis, empirical data on the effects of multicultural training and practice are generally limited to variables such as race and ethnicity, with very little research on sexual minorities. However, a framework for understanding competent practice with sexual minorities does exist in the form of the concept of gay affirmative practice (GAP), which has been successfully operationalized by Crisp (2006b). Using the GAP measure and scores of empathy, the authors examined students and practitioners in the helping profession to explore the relationship between empathy and level of gay affirmative work. Findings indicated that levels of empathy predicted overall levels of GAP. The authors discuss the clinical implications of these findings and explore how the findings fit within the literature surrounding empathic understanding.Keywords: affirmative practice, LGBTQ, therapy, multicultural counseling Durante las últimas décadas, los psicólogos han puesto un énfasis especial en la competencia multicultural como un aspecto esencial en la formación y la práctica. Sin embargo, a pesar de este énfasis, los datos empíricos sobre los efectos de la formación multicultural y su práctica están generalmente limitados a variables como raza y etnicidad, con escasas investigaciones realizadas sobre minorías sexuales. Aun así, existe un marco teórico para comprender la práctica competente con minorías sexuales denominado terapia afirmativa gay (GAP, por sus siglas en inglés), que fue operacionalizado con éxito por Crisp (2006b). Usando las medidas GAP y puntuaciones de empatía, los autores examinaron a estudiantes y profesionales del campo de la consejería para explorar la relación entre empatía y el nivel de trabajo afirmativo con la comunidad gay. Los resultados indicaron que los niveles de empatía pronosticaron niveles totales de GAP. Los autores discuten las implicaciones clínicas de estos resultados y exploran cómo estos encajan con la literatura sobre comprensión empática.

Evidence-based relationship variables when working with affectional and gender minority clients: A systematic review.

“…In comparing the six studies that examined providers’ attitudes toward working with AGM-identifying clients, there was variability in study design. For example, three utilized a cross-sectional survey design (Love, Smith, Lyall, Mullins, & Cohn, 2015; Maley & Gross, 2019; Shires et al, 2019;), two utilized semistructured interviews (Harmon & Donohue, 2018; Porter, Hulbert-Williams, & Chadwick, 2015), and one used a prepost design following a training intervention (Pepping, Lyons, & Morris, 2018). There was also variability in how generalizable samples are to community providers.…”

“…There was also variability in how generalizable samples are to community providers. Love et al (2015) recruited “professional counselors” working with AGM clients; however, 20.7% of the sample reported that their highest earned degree was a bachelor’s, and only 35.9% were licensed. Studies often had missing information that, had it been present, would have aided in further interpretation.…”

“…However, the ability to shift perspective and understand experiences through the lens of one’s client was not a robust predictor of affirmative practice. Affective empathy (e.g., warmth, compassion, reacting to another’s feelings) was more important than “walking in the shoes” of the client (Love et al, 2015). These results were similar in a sample of physicians specializing in gynecological care (Shires et al, 2019).…”

Decriminalizing LGBTQ+: Reproducing and resisting mental health inequities

“…In fact, heterosexist attitudes among practitioners can reduce their empathy for LGBTQ+ people and even harm them. 122 Like the general population, health care providers can and do have subtle (though sometimes active) phobias and practices toward LGBTQ+ people that are left unexamined and therefore appear in their practice. These prejudices coupled with low knowledge and self-awareness create poor service delivery, misdiagnosis, pathologizing, and deprecation.…”

Examining the Relationship of Emotional Intelligence and Cultural Empathy in Addiction Counselors

“…CE has also been observed outside the counseling profession when looking at nursing students (Everson et al, ) and attachment primes in undergraduate students (Mallinckrodt et al, ). Additionally, empathy has been studied in relation to cultural constructs in counseling, such as nonverbal expressions (Lorié et al, ), race or ethnicity (Ng & James, ), age and socioeconomic status (Ngoubene‐Atioky et al, ), and sexual orientation (Love et al, ).…”