CFT Faculty: Self-Assessment of LGB-Affirming Stances and Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) faculty were using to identify the extent to which their program was LGB-affirmative. The sample for this study included 71 faculty members from CFT training programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). The online data collection for this study included one open-ended question and one Likert scale item. The thematic analysis revealed seven categories: (1) Coursework and Training, (2) Training Programs’ LGB Population, (3) Belief Systems, (4) Importance of Faculty, (5) Practical Implementation of Explicit LGB-affirmative Values, (6) Affirming Environment, and (7) Not LGB-affirming Environment. The findings of this study provided insights into how CFT faculty members are conceptualizing LGB affirmative training on an individual and program levels.