Development Of Queer Affirmative Mental Health Care Training and Its Impact on Clinical Preparedness, Knowledge and Attitudes Among Mental Health Professionals

Abstract Book of the 5th International Conference on LGBT studies

Year: 2026

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Development Of Queer Affirmative Mental Health Care Training and Its Impact on Clinical Preparedness, Knowledge and Attitudes Among Mental Health Professionals

Sri Janani Vasanth Marar

ABSTRACT:

The prevalence of mental health issues among queer individuals is significantly greater than that observed in the general population. Nevertheless, many queer individuals are hesitant to seek out professional mental health care, influenced by a history marked by pathologisation, conversion practices, and negative interactions with mental health providers. Aim: The present study aims to develop and evaluate a training program for Queer Affirmative Mental Health Care (QAMHC) that seeks to bolster the expertise of mental health professionals practicing in India.The hypothesis is that professionals who undergo the QAMHC training will demonstrate significant improvements in clinical preparedness, knowledge, and attitudes toward queer mental health issues compared to pre- training assessments. Methods: The study was organized into three distinct phases: the first phase involved an exploration of the barriers and facilitators encountered by queer individuals in their pursuit of mental health care; the second phase focused on evaluating the clinical preparedness, knowledge, and attitudes of MHPs, alongside the implementation of a training program designed to address the identified deficiencies; finally, the third phase assessed the effectiveness of this training initiative. Data from 60 queer individuals revealed that major barriers included a lack of queer-competent professionals and concerns about stigma, while key facilitators emphasized were non-discriminatory attitudes and safe spaces. In phase two, 400 mental health professionals were surveyed, and results showed limited exposure to queer clients and inadequate training in queer mental health care. Pre-training assessments indicated low levels of clinical preparedness (mean = 3.90, SD = 1.80) and moderate levels of knowledge (mean = 5.35, SD = 1.53), with higher attitudinal awareness (mean = 6.13, SD = 1.41). In phase three, the QAMHC training was developed and implemented with 30 mental health professionals scoring low in queer-affirmative skills. Post-training, clinical preparedness improved significantly (F(2,58) = 291.721, p< 0.001, η² = 0.910). Attitudinal awareness (F(2,58) = 168.169, p< 0.001, η² = 0.853) and knowledge (F(2,58) = 147.182, p< 0.001, η² = 0.835) also showed significant gains. Overall competency increased across all measures, with large effect sizes sustained at follow-up. These findings highlight the effectiveness of QAMHC training in enhancing the clinical preparedness, knowledge, and attitudes of professionals.

Keywords: Clinical competency development; Help-seeking barriers; LGBTQIA+ mental health equity; Queer-affirmative clinical training; Stigma reduction in healthcare