Abstract

MUSSI, Samir Vidal  and  MALERBI, Fani Eta Korn. Qualification of psychologists for the care of sexual and gender minorities. Psicol. clin. [online]. 2022, vol.34, n.2, pp. 219-242. ISSN 0103-5665.  http://dx.doi.org/10.33208/PC1980-5438v0034n02A01.

Stressors stemming from the prejudice against the LGBTQIAP+ population have been associated with psychological disorders which lead these people to seek healthcare services. However, the qualification of professionals to accommodate this population appears to be deficient. Affirmative therapy has been considered a major strategy which can be deployed by healthcare professionals in the care of this public. This work was aimed at reviewing inquiries evaluating affirmative therapy trainings. Six studies were selected, then assessed regarding subjects' characteristics, employed measures, contingencies of reinforcement involved in this type of therapy, strategies adopted in the training, self-assessment of the therapist regarding their own sexual prejudices, topics addressed in the course, limitations of the studies, and suggestions by the authors. The results indicated that the teaching of affirmative therapy must involve the identification of aversive contingencies present in the environment where the LGBTQIAP+ population lives, the programming of reinforcement contingencies which allow people to disclose themselves as belonging to this population, and the validation of this population's sexual orientation and gender identity as healthy. In these trainings, it is also suggested that therapists encourage LGBTQIAP+ people to seek support groups. Another important issue identified in the analyzed trainings is the instruction for the therapist to continually observe their own responses to LGBTQIAP+ people, in order to avoid reproducing LGBTphobia in their service.

Keywords : sexual and gender minorities; affirmative therapy; LGBTQIAP+; qualification of psychologists; behavior analysis.

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