Iranian Psychotherapists’ Behaviors and Beliefs Toward Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate Iranian psychotherapists' behaviors and beliefs toward sexual orientation and gender identity. The sample consisted of 358 Iranian psychotherapists, of whom 29.3% (n = 105) were male and 67% (n = 24) were female. Results from the chi-square analyses showed that more male participants reported accepting homosexual clients and treating them as having a pathological disorder than their female counterparts; and licensed respondents reported engaging more in accepting only male or female clients, accepting more homosexual and transgender clients for treatment, and treating them as having a pathological disorder when compared with their unlicensed counterparts. Furthermore supervised respondents reported accepting more homosexual clients than their unsupervised counterparts. However results from the multivariate analysis of variance has indicated that the female participants reported "accepting homosexuals or transgender clients for treatment" more often than the male participants; unsupervised participants reported "accepting homosexual or transgender clients for treatment" and "treating homosexuality per se as a pathological disorder" more often than their supervised counterparts.

How are Iranian Gay Men Coping with Systematic Suppression Under Islamic Law? A Qualitative Study

“…Under relational ethics, importance is placed on the researcher being aware of his or her own role, understanding how he or she may affect the relationship with the study's participants, and ensuring the study's participants are treated as human beings rather than just sources of knowledge to be mined (Tracy 2010). Also, it is reported that in Iran, many LGBT individuals have found it difficult finding a trusted psychological service as there is no official trained therapist working with LGBT individuals in the country (Yadegarfard et al 2015). However, at the end of the interviews, the researcher provided the participants with some information regarding the most relevant sexual health charity organisations in Iran.…”