Can Psychotherapy Change Sexual Orientation and Should We Try to Change Sexual Orientation?
The modern controversial issue of sexual orientation and its change presents the broad basis for research, as it involves social, ethical, religious and political aspects. The psychologists and psychotherapists examine whether psychotherapy can influence homosexual orientation efficiently and cause the appropriate changes to sexual behavior. Despite the fact that American Psychological Association argues that homosexual and bisexual orientation present the normal form of human behavior, there are many supporters of conversion therapies. Gantt and Slife (2014) examine these opposite concepts of sexual orientation change efforts. The supporters of reparative therapies present the data of the self-reported survey of non-heterosexual, who have passed various techniques of conversion therapy. The results demonstrate that the decrease of homosexual behavior of the participants after treatment and even 17,6% of exclusive change of orientation (Gantt and Slife, 2014). The researchers used the self-report inventory as the core research design to collect the analyzed data. Therefore, this research design places some limitations on the provided conclusions. The opponents of conversion therapy argue that sexual reorientation may cause adverse psychological consequences for the patient.
Johnston and Bell (2011) investigate emotional attachment of both homosexual and heterosexual people applying such research instruments as questionnaire and the Kinsey Scale. The authors conclude that sexual
orientation emerges from the interaction of genetics, postnatal socialization, and natural circumstances. Therefore, gay affirmative therapy will become the most efficient method to get self-completion. The other important aspect of non-heterosexual orientation covers the ethical concerns of application of reparative therapies. Gay affirmative therapy is necessary to protect the rights and freedoms of homosexual
people, while conversion therapies believed to protect those non-heterosexuals, who want to change their sexual orientation.
In conclusion, Gantt and Slife (2014) argue that the assumptions and research data for sexual orientation change efforts …
