Providing Sexuality Training for Psychologists: The Role of Predoctoral Internship Sites

Sexuality training in counseling psychology: A mixed-methods study of student perspectives.

“…Previous studies, though, have surveyed training directors, rather than students, to determine what sexuality topics are covered in programs and did not gather detail related to by what delivery method each domain/subtopic was provided. In general, rates of training in each domain in this study are roughly comparable to other studies (Abbott et al, 2021; Mollen et al, 2020) with the highest rates of coverage for topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity and lowest rates in topics related to sexual expression. However, as students were given a wider range of options in which they could endorse training (e.g., in research experiences, outside of the program), their responses may reflect a higher paucity of HST in counseling psychology training programs than was indicated by training directors.…”

“…Gender identity and sexual orientation, relationships and intimacy, sexual trauma, and sexuality related to lifespan development are covered in some form by a majority of programs, but topics including reproduction, diverse sexual interests and expressions, sex research, and sexual ethics were included in curriculums at very low rates (Mollen et al, 2020). A similar pattern of results was found among predoctoral internship training programs (Abbott et al, 2021). Therefore, it is possible the paucity of HST in counseling psychology programs may lead to deficiencies in clinical work, teaching, research, and advocacy, which impedes the public usefulness of the field.…”

“…Using focus groups to ascertain students' perspectives on their human sexuality training (HST) in counseling psychology, responses yielded five themes: (a) HST is integral to counseling psychology training, (b) few opportunities to gain human sexuality competence, (c) inconsistent training and self-directed learning, (d) varying levels of human sexuality comfort and competence, and (e) desire for integration of HST. Survey responses suggested students were trained on the vast majority of human sexuality topics at low levels, consistent with prior studies surveying training directors in counseling psychology and at internship training sites (Abbott et al, 2021;Mollen et al, 2020). Taken together, results suggested students see HST as aligned with the social justice emphasis in counseling psychology but found their current training was inconsistent, incidental rather than intentional, and lacked depth.…”

“…However, as students were given a wider range of options in which they could endorse training (e.g., in research experiences, outside of the program), their responses may reflect a higher paucity of HST in counseling psychology training programs than was indicated by training directors. Notably, the limited nature of HST indicated in survey responses is likely reflective of some of the institutional limitations acknowledged by students (e.g., lack of faculty expertise, time constraints) and reported by training directors in previous studies (Abbott et al, 2021; Mollen et al, 2020).…”

“…SEXUALITY TRAINING in counseling psychology training programs than was indicated by training directors. Notably, the limited nature of HST indicated in survey responses is likely reflective of some of the institutional limitations acknowledged by students (e.g., lack of faculty expertise, time constraints) and reported by training directors in previous studies (Abbott et al, 2021;Mollen et al, 2020).…”