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MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT CHOICE IN THE QUEER COMMUNITY**

Abstract

People who identify as queer - members of gender and/or sexual minority groups - face unique stressors in society both on a personal and political level. Increased incidence of anxiety, depression, and PTSD in the queer population due to novel stressors like discrimination or dysphoria can lead to complex problems. First-line treatment options, which are those that are considered standard options by mental health professionals, may not be the best suited interventions for these issues. Previous studies have looked at the barriers to accessing therapy that queer people face, but few studies have looked at individual perceptions of different interventions despite it being an important factor in therapeutic success. This study sought to assess queer people’s perceptions of and preferences for mental health interventions whilst also examining their relationship with and perception of mental healthcare. Participants (n = 112) were recruited through snowball sampling and our university’s online participant pool (SONA). Status as a gender or sexual minority group member was self-reported. Our survey assessed demographic information, anxiety, depression, PTSD symptomology, interest in mental health interventions, and attitudes towards seeking counseling. A list of mental health interventions was developed that was organized by first-line (empirically validated and approved options, considered standard options by mental health care professionals), alternative (conditionally approved for treatment by the APA), and experimental (interventions that are still seeking empirical validation) treatments. Brief summaries of the treatment options were provided and participants were then asked to indicate their willingness to participate in each treatment. Data suggests that queer individuals tend to prefer first-line and alternative treatments, with interventions that medicalize mental illness being the most unpopular. Results could inform clinicians who work with queer populations on possible attitudes that exist towards different interventions.

Acknowledgements

APA SUPER Fellowship

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