Search

THE INTEGRATION OF PSYCHOLOGY & CHRISTIANITY: A Domain-Based Approach by William L. Hathaway and Mark A. Yarhouse. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press Academic, 2021. 199 pages. ISBN: 9780830841837. *Reading The Integration of Psychology and Christianity brought to mind the lively discussions about integration that I had with my fellow undergraduates at Gordon College some twenty years ago. We were hampered in reaching any agreement by the fact that our assigned text, Psychology and Christianity: Four Views,1 presented four authors who each defined integration in their own idiosyncratic way, which then resulted in us students talking past each other. *If only we'd had this book! Hathaway and Yarhouse resolve these confusions by offering a "domain-based approach." Rather than advocating for a particular integration approach, as has been common in integration scholarship, Hathaway and Yarhouse outline the multiplicity of ways in which the Christian psychologist might choose to integrate faith and psychology. This approach is one I found immediately useful, given my position as chair of psychology at a small Christian liberal arts college where I frequently mentor junior colleagues with less experience in Christian higher education as they learn to integrate faith into their teaching. Hathaway and Yarhouse's categories include the following: worldview integration, theoretical integration, applied integration, role integration, and personal integration. These categories not only offer a shared vocabulary for integration conversations, but they can serve as an inventory of one's comfort level in different types of integration (one may be quite comfortable doing personal integration while finding theoretical integration challenging, for example). Overall, the book is excellent as a catalyst for personal reflection and growth for the Christian psychologist, whether they be researcher, professor, or clinician. *A particular strength of the book is its emphasis on clinical and applied psychological work. The most original contributions are the chapters on applied integration and role integration. The former adapts a secular model for a Christian population or develops Christian interventions from Christian thought and practice while the later describes living out the role expectations of a particular vocation (e.g., counselor) in a way that is consistent with Christian identity. These chapters have many examples from Yarhouse and Hathaway's own experience in navigating these areas. Their clear articulation of the professional duties of the Christian who joins the counseling guild, for example, was extremely useful. I found myself grateful to have their take on role integration to offer to my aspiring therapist students, who often find themselves torn between personal conviction and professional obligations. Yarhouse and Hathaway offer a well-argued Christian perspective that emphasizes the priority of those professional obligations. *A few criticisms. I mentioned that this book reminded me of my integration discussions in the early 2000s. While the integration resources are helpfully updated and the whole book is very well resourced, I found that the core approach to integration had remained largely unchanged. That is to say, this is very much a book written by two fairly conservative white American evangelical men. While the authors are moderates in evangelical terms, Yarhouse's scholarship (in sexual and gender identity) brings him into American culture-wars territory. It is not surprising, then, that they would see the challenges of Christian psychologists to be primarily in dealing with an often-antagonistic secular psychology. To be clear, far from advocating a hostile approach to secular psychology in return, they model a subtle Christian attempt to influence psychology policies to be more compatible with Christian values--and indeed their personal examples of successfully doing this are laudably sensible. *However, the revelations of evangelical complicity during the Trump years and the current rise of American Christian nationalism have left me questioning whether the largely apolitical nature of my Christian training in psychology was sufficiently transformational. I find myself yearning for a post-Trump integration analysis, an approach that grapples with the harms of evangelicals' quest for power. Or to put it another way, I question the idea, as sometimes implied by the authors, that the primary challenge Christians working in psychology face is the problem of too little cultural power. *The book's most obvious limitations in this vein are in the worldview integration chapter. Here we find the conservative nonprofit Heterodox Academy and its idea of "viewpoint diversity" uncritically embraced. The suggestion is that the conservative/Christian worldview should be considered a type of diversity akin to racial or gender diversity, given its minority status in liberal-dominated psychology. Given the very real challenges presented by racism and sexism, this framing seems at best tone deaf and at worst an encouragement to evangelicals to approach psychology with a persecution mindset. Also missing from this picture is the fact that the discipline often aligns itself with powerful interests and is therefore much less concerned with political beliefs per se than with power (to give just one example, the 2015 Hoffman Report documented how, during the Bush era, the American Psychological Association colluded with the US Department of Defence to change the APA ethics code to allow psychologists to participate in "enhanced interrogations" of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay). Perhaps Christian integration efforts might involve an Imago Dei-informed attempt to challenge this status quo. My own graduate training in critical/feminist psychology prompted me to reflect on the harms that even well-meaning psychologists might perpetrate if they allow themselves to be used to enable the capitalist control of people. From Amazon warehouses to counseling practices, our neoliberal world offers many ways in which unwary Christian psychologists can contribute to the dehumanization of people. Counselors teach their clients to understand their mental struggles as caused by individual failings while ignoring the influence of systemic factors; this should be at least as much an ethical concern for Christian psychologists as the more typical hot-button trio of abortion, LGBTQ+, and euthanasia (Hathaway and Yarhouse tend to highlight these three in their examples). *Tellingly, in this book, the topic of social justice is relegated to the personal integration chapter as something that psychologists might choose to embrace as part of their individualistic spiritual development. Missing is the idea that justice or advocacy for the powerless might inform psychological theory from the get-go or even form a core part of the Christian worldview. In fact, the term "worldview" itself can be read as a sign of the static, inward-looking nature of the framing chosen here. Much as James Sire's books on the topic are classics, the fact remains that the term worldview is a distinctively evangelical Christian idea, out of touch with secular psychology. Further, the take on postmodernism that the worldview approach encourages verges on caricature. Although the authors of this book acknowledge some of these weaknesses, their choices in this chapter betray a lack of conversation with postmodern theorists in psychology, whose focus is not generally moral relativism but a critique of dominant power structures. Citing such scholars, many of whom make relevant critiques of psychology's philosophical blind spots, would have strengthened the worldview chapter. *One particularly clarifying move this book makes is to put integration typologies on a continuum with three major categories: assimilation, productive tension, and expanded horizons. The ideal integration work, they argue (riffing on Gadamer), results in an expanded horizon, where the insights of both sides are modified by fusion with the other. This idea is one that they might have taken further. Hathaway and Yarhouse are careful to articulate the privileged nature of scripture in such an encounter of horizons, but this seems to underestimate the cultural knowledge and assumptions that we import into scriptural interpretation. Surely the encounter of horizons is not pure divine revelation meeting pure psychological knowledge, but rather, the encounter is mediated by biased and finite human beings. The authors define worldview integration as "an attempt to reposition psychology within a cognitive frame that is coherently embedded within Christian thought and premised on Christian assumptions." I wish they had been more reflective about whose Christian thought and Christian assumptions they were presenting as normative. Given that this book is published by IVP Academic, this will likely not be a problem for their target audience, who probably share their assumptions. But I would expect a book that champions the expanded horizon as the telos of integration to be more influenced by a diversity of Christian voices and a diversity of psychological approaches. *Perhaps this is more a complaint about psychology integration work as a whole, rather than this book in particular. Overall, I am very appreciative of this contribution, and simply hope that the foundation laid here can be used by readers to build integration efforts that are more self-reflective and outward-looking integration efforts than the book itself models. Hathaway and Yarhouse's main contributions in this book are (1) a comprehensive and sophisticated review of past integration work, (2) the helpful clarifying domain categories, and (3) innovations in the areas of applied integration and role integration, areas that previous integration work has neglected. For those hoping to get up to speed on integration work in psychology or hoping to grow in the sophistication of their integration efforts, this is a valuable resource and very much worth reading. *Note *1Eric L. Johnson and Stanton L. Jones, eds., Psychology and Christianity: Four Views (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000). *Reviewed by Elissa Rodkey, Associate Professor of Psychology, Crandall University, Moncton, NB E1C 9L7.

This study was an initial investigation of important areas of interest within the literature on transgender and gender diverse students, namely psychological health, well-being and campus climate for transgender and gender diverse students in young adulthood. What is unique is that data were obtained from Christian transgender and gender diverse students attending Christian college and universities. A sample of 31 undergraduate transgender students at nine Christian institutions in which staff were affiliated with the Association for Christians in Student Development completed an online survey. Participants reported high levels of religiosity, diversity in their attitudes about gender identity, negative perceptions of campus climate, lower levels of social support for gender identity than in general, moderate to high levels of psychological distress, and low to moderate levels of psychological well-being.

Drawing upon previous research with sexual minority Christian college students, we identify emergent themes important to ministry with sexual minorities integrating religious/spiritual and sexual identities: intrinsic religiosity, social relationships, self-acceptance, and complexity of identity integration. We propose a Trinitarian ministry model wherein the church serves as a holding environment—a discipling community intentionally designed to be relational, secure, and formational thereby creating a synergistic communal climate for identity development related to faith and sexuality.

Sexual identity refers to the labels people use with respect to their sexual preferences. Sexual identity labels such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer are just a few sexual identity labels youth consider when they experience same-sex sexuality and are navigating various milestone events in the formation of identity. This article will place the experience of youth in a developmental context and provide recommendations for ministry to youth navigating sexual identity and Christian faith, including reframing care for youth under a stewardship model of ministry.

Gender identity has become an increasingly complex area of ministry with youth. Gender identity refers to a person’s experience of themselves as a boy or a girl or a different gender identity than that, such as transgender or one of several emerging gender identities. This paper will discuss transgender experiences, as well as more atypical experiences, to prepare those in youth ministry to provide more effective ministry to youth navigating gender identity and Christian faith.

This study was an initial investigation of important areas of interest within the literature on transgender and gender diverse students, namely psychological health, well-being and campus climate for transgender and gender diverse students in young adulthood. What is unique is that data were obtained from Christian transgender and gender diverse students attending Christian college and universities. A sample of 31 undergraduate transgender students at nine Christian institutions in which staff were affiliated with the Association for Christians in Student Development completed an online survey. Participants reported high levels of religiosity, diversity in their attitudes about gender identity, negative perceptions of campus climate, lower levels of social support for gender identity than in general, moderate to high levels of psychological distress, and low to moderate levels of psychological well-being.

Same-gender attracted Christians can arrive at very different conclusions as to how to live in congruence with their religious values. In an attempt to understand what might contribute to this difference a quantitative examination of God concept (rational knowledge of God), God image (experiential knowledge of God), and the role of religion was conducted. A total of 156 gay-affirming and 59 traditional-believing same-gender attracted (SGA) Christians completed an online God adjective checklist and intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity questionnaire. Results indicated that within both populations there was a statistically significant difference between God concept and God image. A statistically significant difference was also found between the two groups in both God concept and God image. Traditional-believing SGA Christians reported a God concept and God image that was significantly more wrathful than their gay-affirming counterparts. Results also indicated that traditional-believing SGA Christians were significantly more intrinsically religiously oriented than were the gay-affirming participants. Together these findings suggest that there are significant differences between the way traditional-believing and gay-affirming SGA Christians understand and experience both God and religion.

Shame and psychosocial developmental difficulties are issues of concern for many sexual minority women most likely due to the negative impact of heterosexism, internalized homophobia, sexual stigma, religious affiliation, and sexual minority stress. This study hypothesizes that religiously affiliated sexual minority women, when compared to non-sexual minority women, would show significantly higher levels of shame and lower levels of psychosocial development. This sample’s shame and psychosocial resolution scores all fell within the spectrum of normative levels for non-clinical samples of women. Significant differences between sexual status groups were found on shame and total negative psychosocial resolution, but effect size was small. It was also hypothesized that stages of psychosocial development, sexual status, and history of counseling would predict trait shame in religiously affiliated women. Psychosocial development was the sole significant and strong predictor, suggesting that the strong relationship between psychosocial development and shame is present regardless of a female’s sexual identity. For sexual minority women, identity/identity confusion, trust/mistrust, and autonomy/shame and doubt, accounted for 64% of shame variance. This sample was heavily weighted with women who reported same-sex attraction or same-sex behavior but who dis-identified as a sexual minority.

“Coming out” refers to disclosing one’s nonheterosexual identity to another person. Disclosure to family members is one of the most important and difficult milestones in sexual identity formation. This is a study of the experiences of Christian parents whose children came out as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The study examined the changes in parent–child relationships and the parents’ Christian beliefs across three time points: before disclosure, in the couple months directly following disclosure, and at the time of the interview.

The purpose of this study was to understand how parents who identify as Christian responded to and coped with their child's disclosure of same-sex sexuality and/or having a lesbian, gay, or bisexual identity (LGB). Research has shown the effect parental responses can have on the psychological health of sexual minorities, as well as the emotions Christian parents may experience post disclosure. Little research highlights the struggle Christian parents can experience due to tension between their religious beliefs and the love they have for their child. This study highlights a unique aspect of how parents attempt to negotiate this tension.

This chapter explores existing challenges in describing how one achieves multicultural competence with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+), and related populations. What it means to be multiculturally competent with this population has not been precisely defined, is still evolving, and faces several unique challenges. Our intention is to discuss some of those concerns as well as point in a direction that may help the field identify sound aspirations. Three frameworks for understanding LGBT+ issues are presented (diversity, disability, and the sacred), as well as a call for greater humility about what is known and not known regarding LGBT+ issues at present. Recommendations are made for a more nuanced understanding of multicultural competence with LGBT+ and related populations in training and practice.

The first 6 months of marriage are optimal for marriage enrichment interventions. The Hope-Focused Approach to couple enrichment was presented as two 9-hr interventions--(a) Handling Our Problems Effectively (HOPE), which emphasized communication and conflict resolution, and (b) Forgiveness and Reconciliation through Experiencing Empathy (FREE). HOPE and FREE were compared with repeated assessment controls. Couples were randomly assigned and were assessed at pretreatment (t1); 1 month posttreatment (t2) and at 3- (t3), 6- (t4), and 12-month (t5) follow-ups using self-reports. In addition to self-report measures, couples were assessed at t1, t2, and t5 using salivary cortisol, and behavioral coding of decision making. Of 179 couples who began the study, 145 cases were analyzed. Both FREE and HOPE produced lasting positive changes on self-reports. For cortisol reactivity, HOPE and FREE reduced reactivity at t2, but only HOPE at t5. For coded behaviors, control couples deteriorated; FREE and HOPE did not change. Enrichment training was effective regardless of the focus of the training.

The Study of the Calamities of the Soul We approach the study of psychopathology in these terms: "the study of the calamities of the soul," by which we mean that students are learning how to assess, treat, and prevent concerns that affect the whole person, the embodied soul. Stated differently, something is lost in the study of psychopathology when we focus only on deviance, dysfunction, danger, or distress (i.e., the traditional understanding of abnormal behavior). Rather, we see the study of psychopathology as the emotional and psychological struggles of persons that affect all dimensions of human beings. This definition comes from the Greek word for psych (psukhe), meaning breath or spirit, suggesting more than just the mind (but including mental processes), and pathology, suggesting the scientific study of deviations from a healthy or normal state or condition. Today, it is more common for the scientific study of psychopathology to focus on deviance, dysfunction, danger, and distress (i.e., the "4 Ds" in many contemporary textbooks). These are certainly important for the conversation, but it seems most appropriate for a faith-based discussion to begin with a broader understanding of the soul so that we can remind ourselves and our students that we are taking a holistic view of the person in the service of the well-being of the soul. The definition we have chosen--the study of the calamities of the soul--has the potential to offer greater humility and honesty, and a deeper respect for humanity, into our explorations in the classroom and beyond. To the traditional emphasis on the 4Ds, we would like to add that psychopathology could also be seen as an expression of "disordered desires" or urges and longings that have gone awry. The Assessment, Treatment and Prevention of Mental Illness In our approach to teaching psychopathology, whether to an audience of undergraduate or graduate and professional-level students, we focus on three key domains: (a) the assessment, classification and diagnosis of mental illness; (b) the effective treatment of psychopathology; and (c) exploring strategies for reducing the intensity, duration or frequency of disordered desire (prevention). We want our students to be able to describe the key symptoms (What is going on to offer reasonable explanations for their etiology and maintenance (Why is this happening?), to be able to explore available treatment options (What might be helpful for healing and growth?), and to offer creative and informed responses to risk reduction in the future (What might be some preventive options?). Unfortunately, the traditional focus in many psychopathology courses is primarily on learning the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; APA, 2013) typology regarding the assessment, classification and diagnosis of mental illness. For us, we strongly advocate the need for an "ethical" response (What are the implications for our Christian zvorldview and life style?). Consequently, we strive to balance solid course content (insight) with a sharp focus on relevant implications for servant-practitioner-scholars (Jones & Butman, 2011). Historical and Contemporary Understanding of the Subject Area In our previous work (Yarhouse, Butman, & McRay, 2005), we noted that there has been a segregation of the soul that took place when the church abdicated its responsibilities in working holistically with the soul by having mental concerns addressed solely and exclusively by mental health professionals. There is a rich tradition of pastoral care and spiritual formation that could deeply inform contemporary discussions. We see some developments in this area with greater emphasis on Spiritual Direction today, even to the extent of specific degree programs. The positive psychology movement has also offered some helpful insights that compliment these developments. Indeed, psychology, theology, and spiritual formation are all potential contributors to the dialogue (McMinn & Campbell, 2006). …

Mixed-orientation couples are defined as a heterosexual couple in which 1 partner experiences same-sex attraction and the other does not. Despite the fact that there is a sizable number of mixed-orientation couples in the U.S. adult population, few researchers have studied this population, and thus, there is limited understanding of these relationships. The authors examined the degree to which relationship commitment, partner-focused forgivingness, and marital values were associated with relationship quality, and how these variables predicted relationship quality. The total sample (N = 265) consisted of 2 independent samples-105 sexual minorities (i.e., the spouse who experiences same-sex attraction) and 160 heterosexual spouses. The data were not dyadic. Together, commitment, partner-focused forgivingness, and marital values accounted for roughly 43% of the variance in relationship quality. Relationship commitment was found to be the largest single predictor of relationship quality, followed by partner-focused forgivingness. Research and clinical implications are discussed. This study significantly adds to the current research base by quantitatively measuring various variables in these relationships, as well as expanding our understanding of relationship quality in mixed-orientation couples and factors that may play a role.

Theorists, clinicians, and researchers have suggested that shame is a central concern in the lives of sexual minority individuals. Cognitive theorists believe that shame occurs when a person fails to achieve his or her standards, which are often based on social, cultural, and spiritual values. Although it is asserted that stigma causes shame among members of a sexual minority, the empirical evidence suggests that negative internal cognitions are partly responsible. By targeting negative beliefs, counselors can help sexual minorities reduce their sense of shame, particularly around issues related to sexual identity. The authors offer counseling strategies for reducing shame in sexual minority clients.

Studies on faith-based campuses are beginning to offer a glimpse into the real experience of sexual minority students in these unique settings. This study adds to this growing body of information by surveying 247 undergraduates, who describe themselves as sexual minorities at 19 Christian schools across the United States. They responded to questions related to attitudes regarding sexuality, sexual identity, religiosity, and sexual milestone events. The results from this sample suggest those who attend higher education at faith-based institutions are a distinctive group within Western culture when it comes to the development of religious/spiritual identity and sexual identity. Although diversity with regard to same-sex and opposite-sex attraction is present among those surveyed, common themes exist for this unique sample of undergraduates. Implications for mainstream culture and Christian educational institutions are discussed.

This study offers empirical evidence for the efficacy of the therapeutic treatment of juveniles with sexual behavior problems in secure-care facilities using the Louisiana Sex Offender Treatment Program (LSOTP), an integrated cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) approach. A quasiexperimental pre-test, post-test research design was implemented to examine the impact of LSOTP services among 33 adjudicated, male juveniles with sexual behavior problems in two secure-care facilities. All participants received LSOTP services and were measured for changes in depression, anxiety, and cognitive distortions (rape and molest) from Time 1 to Time 2. Results indicated that participants experienced (1) statistically significant reductions in anxiety level, and (2) measurably greater reductions in rape-related cognitive distortions. The LSOTP model of treatment used across Louisiana is related to psychosocial benefits. Recommendations are provided.

This article examines integration in the areas of homosexuality, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) issues, and sexual identity. It provides a brief account of where we have been as a field in our attempts to bring together a Christian worldview and the study of these issues. It then moves to a discussion of where we are going as a field, as well as the challenges and opportunities that exist for Christians interested in the integration of faith and the scientific study of homosexuality, GLBT concerns, and sexual identity.

This qualitative study reflects the narratives of 32 male-to-female transgender Christians. Although some participants indicated that their gender-identity conflict led to a strengthening of their personal faith, others reported a past struggle—often with specific persons or church leadership—and some indicated that they moved away from organized religion in light of their conflicts. Many participants in this study still identified religious coping activities tied to their faith traditions as sources of support during present difficulties.

This article considers the use of group therapy to explore sexual identity questions in light of religious beliefs and values. The authors describe the basis of their group therapy approaches for sexual, religious, and social conflicts that differ from approaches that provide group members only the option of sexual reorientation to an ex-gay identity or adoption of a lesbian, gay, or bisexual identity. The authors come from different backgrounds and discuss how their perspectives and biases can potentially affect group process and outcome. They present guidelines, structure, content, and strategies for their group therapy approaches.

This paper reviews the existing literature on mixed orientation couples with the purpose of identifying some of the key characteristics and dynamics of these couples. Special attention is paid to understanding relationship quality, satisfaction, and the factors that help maintain their relationship. Current literature shows a mixed representation of relationship quality and satisfaction among these couples, with themes of specific factors that seem to predict this. An understanding of this literature can inform counseling practice, and specific recommendations are offered for providing counseling to this unique population.

The authors explored the experiences of African American men who identified as Christian and experienced same-sex attraction. Participants completed an online questionnaire addressing experiences of same-sex attraction; meaning attributed to their attractions; the sharing of their experiences with others; and perceptions regarding the intersection of their faith, race, and sexual identity. Most respondents (61.5%) felt different from their peers for gender-related reasons, and most (80.8%) had had homoerotic experiences during the teenage years. Over 40% of participants indicated that their primary identity was Christian, and several shared their experience sorting out attributions and meanings associated with same-sex attraction in light of their racial and/or religious identities.

This study is a 5-year follow-up study of intact, heterosexually married couples in which one partner reports same-sex attraction and both partners report satisfaction with their marriage. Twenty-four participants provided information on their experiences in marriage. Participants in the original study were identified through purposeful sampling and completed questionnaires using mixed quantitative and qualitative methodologies to provide examination of mixed orientation marriages, a relatively unexplored research topic. The questionnaire at 5-year follow-up included questions about the participants’ experiences in marriage, motivations for remaining heterosexually married, and satisfaction in marriage.

This study investigated two areas of interest in the literature on sexual minorities: milestone events in sexual identity development and campus climate for sexual minorities in young adulthood. What is unique is that the information is obtained from Christian sexual minorities attending Christian colleges or universities. A sample of 104 undergraduate sexual minority students at three Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) member institutions completed an anonymous online survey. The questionnaire asked sexual minorities for information on their experiences of campus climate as well as perceptions of campus resources, coping activities, and recommendations for campus, religious institutions, and other sexual minorities. Respondents also completed information on milestone events in sexual identity development. The results of the survey are a descriptive analysis of contextualized “voices” that relate a collective story for these representative institutions.

Sexual identity therapy is an alternative to the two polarized positions of sexual reorientation therapy and gay-integrative therapy for clients who present with sexual identity concerns. This alternative model focuses on sexual identity—the private and public acts of identifying and communicating one's sexual preferences—and how the decision to do so is informed by dominant stories about what sexual attractions mean to a client. As one expression of sexual identity therapy, this paper presents narrative sexual identity therapy, an approach that utilizes a narrative therapeutic approach and techniques to facilitate exploration of dominant narratives and counter-narratives that speak to sexual identity with the goal of achieving a synthesis that reflects felt congruence of clients' beliefs/values and behavior/identity.

There are many stakeholders in the societal discussions about marriage. The first section of this article considers the meaning of marriage among the major world religions. Then the focus shifts to the meaning of marriage among those who experience same-sex attraction, particularly those who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual (GLB). These broad groups (religious and GLB) are hardly monolithic in their understanding of the meaning of marriage and their approach to same-sex unions. It may be helpful for all involved to understand what marriage symbolizes to various parties, and how the symbolic meaning of marriage may make meaningful dialogue difficult.

This study is a one-year follow-up study of heterosexually married couples in which one partner reports having experienced same-sex attraction and both partners report satisfaction with their marri...

How ought psychologists to respond to adolescents who experience sexual identity confusion? Does it make a difference if teens report religious conflicts or strain with respect to their experiences of same-sex attraction,behavior, or identity? This article considers adolescents who experience same-sex attraction and religious conflicts and offers recommendations to psychologists who provide services to these adolescents. The 3 primary goals of this article are to (a) clarify the religious and sexual-identity developmental contexts in which some adolescents find themselves experiencing same-sex attraction, (b) identify some of the religious conflicts that may occur for adolescents, and (c) offer suggestions for addressing religious conflicts faced by adolescents who experience same-sex attraction.

Given recent prevalence estimates most pastoral caregivers and counselors will work with persons who experience same-sex attraction (SSA). Many of the people who experience SSA will report such a consistency in the directionality and intensity of their attractions that they think of themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Others will integrate their experiences of SSA into a gay identity. What can facilitate pastoral care and counseling is an intentional use of this three-tier distinction: experiences of SSA, homosexual orientation, and gay identity. A discussion of this three-tier distinction is followed by specific suggestions for utilizing this conceptual framework as a resource in pastoral care and counseling.

This study is an analysis of 186 psychologists' attitudes on what constitutes ethical practice when counseling clients who present with a range of concerns related to their experience of same-sex attraction and behavior. Three different groups of psychologists were surveyed: generalists, specialists in gay and lesbian issues, and religiously affiliated psychologists. Participants also rated the effectiveness of several professional experiences in providing education, direction, sanctions, or support to regulate the practice of counseling nonheterosexual clients. Significant group differences were found regarding what is considered best, acceptable, and unacceptable practice with clients presenting with same-sex attraction issues. Significant differences were also found among the three groups in what respondents rated as effective elements of their clinical experience. Keywords: gay, lesbian, religion, survey