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Conversion Therapy Research Explained: What the Studies Actually Show Christian Parents
No credible study has shown conversion therapy can change who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves. Every major medical organization in the United States agrees.
Quick Takeaways:
No credible study has shown that conversion therapy can change who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves. Every major medical organization in the United States agrees.
A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study found the harms of these practices cost American families and taxpayers an estimated $9.23 billion annually.
In the first-ever trial of conversion therapy (Ferguson v. JONAH, 2015), a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud.
Research consistently links "conversion therapy" to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts, especially among minors.
Families who pursue acceptance over "change efforts" report stronger relationships and better outcomes for their children.
When your child comes to you struggling with questions about who they are attracted to or how they see themselves, every Christian parent wants to do the right thing. You are weighing not just your child's wellbeing but your faith and community.
You may have heard people suggest "conversion therapy" could help. Before taking that step, here is what the actual research shows.
What the Major Studies Found
The most comprehensive government review comes from SAMHSA's 2023 report, Moving Beyond Change Efforts. Their conclusion was unequivocal: practices targeting who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves are not effective and cause significant harm, including increased risk of suicide attempts and severe psychological distress. No research supports any benefits for children, teens, or families.
This was not a single study. SAMHSA drew on multiple large-scale studies, some exceeding 25,000 participants, using stronger methods than older research. For a deeper look at the peer-reviewed research on these harms, CT4F's Education Hub breaks down the key findings.
The American Psychological Association reached similar conclusions in its 2009 Task Force Report. Adults who went through these practices described decreased self-worth, shame, confusion, loss of faith, and a sense of having wasted time and resources. This is part of the reason why Christian medical professionals oppose these practices so strongly.
The Numbers That Matter
A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics calculated that with over 500,000 young people at risk, total annual costs reach $650 million for the practices themselves, with harms adding an estimated $9.23 billion in economic burden. Each young person faces roughly $83,000 in excess lifetime costs.
Those are not abstract numbers. They represent real families paying for harm that did not have to happen.
What the Courts Found
In Ferguson v. JONAH (2015), the first-ever trial of conversion therapy, a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud. The judge found "no factual basis" for the success statistics that providers claim. The defense called seven "success story" witnesses, and none testified to experiencing regular attraction to the opposite sex.
The people selling "conversion therapy" could not prove it worked even when their livelihoods depended on it.
What Happens to Families
Many programs blame parents for their child's identity. Paulette Trimmer, a Pentecostal mother whose son went through multiple programs, described years of family alienation before they could rebuild trust. Linda Robertson and Joyce Calvo, who shared their stories in a legal brief filed in Chiles v. Salazar, lost their children to the shame these programs created.
Research from the Williams Institute confirms these patterns: young people subjected to "conversion therapy" were nearly twice as likely to think about and attempt suicide compared to those who were not.
What Parents Can Do Instead
The same research points toward what helps: family acceptance. The Family Acceptance Project found that children whose families responded with support and kindness showed better outcomes across every measure.
This does not mean abandoning your beliefs. Christian parents who found peace after walking this road describe staying rooted in faith while learning to love their child as they are. Paulette Trimmer remains a faithful Christian: "I love God, I am not going to change that. And I love my son, and I am not going to change that."
Pastoral counseling that helps families walk through hard questions together, without the goal of changing a child, is not conversion therapy. Your family deserves decisions grounded in truth, not promises debunked by researchers and ruled fraudulent in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does any credible research show that conversion therapy works? No. The 2009 APA Task Force Report and 2023 SAMHSA report Moving Beyond Change Efforts both concluded there is no credible evidence these practices work, based on multiple large-scale studies.
How much does conversion therapy cost families? A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study estimated roughly $83,000 in excess lifetime costs per young person subjected to these practices. Nationally, the total economic burden was estimated at $9.23 billion annually.
Was conversion therapy ever found to be fraud in court? Yes. In Ferguson v. JONAH (New Jersey, 2015), a jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud. The organization was shut down and ordered to pay $72,400 in damages.
What do medical organizations say? Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States opposes these practices, including the APA, AMA, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychiatric Association.
What does research say Christian parents should do instead? The Family Acceptance Project found that family support leads to dramatically better outcomes. Faith-focused families can seek pastoral counseling that supports the whole family without the goal of changing a child.
Conversion Therapy Research Explained: What the Studies Actually Show Christian Parents
No credible study has shown conversion therapy can change who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves. Every major medical organization in the United States agrees.
Quick Takeaways:
No credible study has shown that conversion therapy can change who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves. Every major medical organization in the United States agrees.
A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study found the harms of these practices cost American families and taxpayers an estimated $9.23 billion annually.
In the first-ever trial of conversion therapy (Ferguson v. JONAH, 2015), a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud.
Research consistently links "conversion therapy" to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts, especially among minors.
Families who pursue acceptance over "change efforts" report stronger relationships and better outcomes for their children.
When your child comes to you struggling with questions about who they are attracted to or how they see themselves, every Christian parent wants to do the right thing. You are weighing not just your child's wellbeing but your faith and community.
You may have heard people suggest "conversion therapy" could help. Before taking that step, here is what the actual research shows.
What the Major Studies Found
The most comprehensive government review comes from SAMHSA's 2023 report, Moving Beyond Change Efforts. Their conclusion was unequivocal: practices targeting who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves are not effective and cause significant harm, including increased risk of suicide attempts and severe psychological distress. No research supports any benefits for children, teens, or families.
This was not a single study. SAMHSA drew on multiple large-scale studies, some exceeding 25,000 participants, using stronger methods than older research. For a deeper look at the peer-reviewed research on these harms, CT4F's Education Hub breaks down the key findings.
The American Psychological Association reached similar conclusions in its 2009 Task Force Report. Adults who went through these practices described decreased self-worth, shame, confusion, loss of faith, and a sense of having wasted time and resources. This is part of the reason why Christian medical professionals oppose these practices so strongly.
The Numbers That Matter
A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics calculated that with over 500,000 young people at risk, total annual costs reach $650 million for the practices themselves, with harms adding an estimated $9.23 billion in economic burden. Each young person faces roughly $83,000 in excess lifetime costs.
Those are not abstract numbers. They represent real families paying for harm that did not have to happen.
What the Courts Found
In Ferguson v. JONAH (2015), the first-ever trial of conversion therapy, a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud. The judge found "no factual basis" for the success statistics that providers claim. The defense called seven "success story" witnesses, and none testified to experiencing regular attraction to the opposite sex.
The people selling "conversion therapy" could not prove it worked even when their livelihoods depended on it.
What Happens to Families
Many programs blame parents for their child's identity. Paulette Trimmer, a Pentecostal mother whose son went through multiple programs, described years of family alienation before they could rebuild trust. Linda Robertson and Joyce Calvo, who shared their stories in a legal brief filed in Chiles v. Salazar, lost their children to the shame these programs created.
Research from the Williams Institute confirms these patterns: young people subjected to "conversion therapy" were nearly twice as likely to think about and attempt suicide compared to those who were not.
What Parents Can Do Instead
The same research points toward what helps: family acceptance. The Family Acceptance Project found that children whose families responded with support and kindness showed better outcomes across every measure.
This does not mean abandoning your beliefs. Christian parents who found peace after walking this road describe staying rooted in faith while learning to love their child as they are. Paulette Trimmer remains a faithful Christian: "I love God, I am not going to change that. And I love my son, and I am not going to change that."
Pastoral counseling that helps families walk through hard questions together, without the goal of changing a child, is not conversion therapy. Your family deserves decisions grounded in truth, not promises debunked by researchers and ruled fraudulent in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does any credible research show that conversion therapy works? No. The 2009 APA Task Force Report and 2023 SAMHSA report Moving Beyond Change Efforts both concluded there is no credible evidence these practices work, based on multiple large-scale studies.
How much does conversion therapy cost families? A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study estimated roughly $83,000 in excess lifetime costs per young person subjected to these practices. Nationally, the total economic burden was estimated at $9.23 billion annually.
Was conversion therapy ever found to be fraud in court? Yes. In Ferguson v. JONAH (New Jersey, 2015), a jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud. The organization was shut down and ordered to pay $72,400 in damages.
What do medical organizations say? Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States opposes these practices, including the APA, AMA, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychiatric Association.
What does research say Christian parents should do instead? The Family Acceptance Project found that family support leads to dramatically better outcomes. Faith-focused families can seek pastoral counseling that supports the whole family without the goal of changing a child.
Conversion Therapy Research Explained: What the Studies Actually Show Christian Parents
No credible study has shown conversion therapy can change who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves. Every major medical organization in the United States agrees.
Quick Takeaways:
No credible study has shown that conversion therapy can change who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves. Every major medical organization in the United States agrees.
A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study found the harms of these practices cost American families and taxpayers an estimated $9.23 billion annually.
In the first-ever trial of conversion therapy (Ferguson v. JONAH, 2015), a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud.
Research consistently links "conversion therapy" to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts, especially among minors.
Families who pursue acceptance over "change efforts" report stronger relationships and better outcomes for their children.
When your child comes to you struggling with questions about who they are attracted to or how they see themselves, every Christian parent wants to do the right thing. You are weighing not just your child's wellbeing but your faith and community.
You may have heard people suggest "conversion therapy" could help. Before taking that step, here is what the actual research shows.
What the Major Studies Found
The most comprehensive government review comes from SAMHSA's 2023 report, Moving Beyond Change Efforts. Their conclusion was unequivocal: practices targeting who someone is attracted to or how they see themselves are not effective and cause significant harm, including increased risk of suicide attempts and severe psychological distress. No research supports any benefits for children, teens, or families.
This was not a single study. SAMHSA drew on multiple large-scale studies, some exceeding 25,000 participants, using stronger methods than older research. For a deeper look at the peer-reviewed research on these harms, CT4F's Education Hub breaks down the key findings.
The American Psychological Association reached similar conclusions in its 2009 Task Force Report. Adults who went through these practices described decreased self-worth, shame, confusion, loss of faith, and a sense of having wasted time and resources. This is part of the reason why Christian medical professionals oppose these practices so strongly.
The Numbers That Matter
A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics calculated that with over 500,000 young people at risk, total annual costs reach $650 million for the practices themselves, with harms adding an estimated $9.23 billion in economic burden. Each young person faces roughly $83,000 in excess lifetime costs.
Those are not abstract numbers. They represent real families paying for harm that did not have to happen.
What the Courts Found
In Ferguson v. JONAH (2015), the first-ever trial of conversion therapy, a New Jersey jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud. The judge found "no factual basis" for the success statistics that providers claim. The defense called seven "success story" witnesses, and none testified to experiencing regular attraction to the opposite sex.
The people selling "conversion therapy" could not prove it worked even when their livelihoods depended on it.
What Happens to Families
Many programs blame parents for their child's identity. Paulette Trimmer, a Pentecostal mother whose son went through multiple programs, described years of family alienation before they could rebuild trust. Linda Robertson and Joyce Calvo, who shared their stories in a legal brief filed in Chiles v. Salazar, lost their children to the shame these programs created.
Research from the Williams Institute confirms these patterns: young people subjected to "conversion therapy" were nearly twice as likely to think about and attempt suicide compared to those who were not.
What Parents Can Do Instead
The same research points toward what helps: family acceptance. The Family Acceptance Project found that children whose families responded with support and kindness showed better outcomes across every measure.
This does not mean abandoning your beliefs. Christian parents who found peace after walking this road describe staying rooted in faith while learning to love their child as they are. Paulette Trimmer remains a faithful Christian: "I love God, I am not going to change that. And I love my son, and I am not going to change that."
Pastoral counseling that helps families walk through hard questions together, without the goal of changing a child, is not conversion therapy. Your family deserves decisions grounded in truth, not promises debunked by researchers and ruled fraudulent in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does any credible research show that conversion therapy works? No. The 2009 APA Task Force Report and 2023 SAMHSA report Moving Beyond Change Efforts both concluded there is no credible evidence these practices work, based on multiple large-scale studies.
How much does conversion therapy cost families? A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study estimated roughly $83,000 in excess lifetime costs per young person subjected to these practices. Nationally, the total economic burden was estimated at $9.23 billion annually.
Was conversion therapy ever found to be fraud in court? Yes. In Ferguson v. JONAH (New Jersey, 2015), a jury unanimously ruled these practices constitute consumer fraud. The organization was shut down and ordered to pay $72,400 in damages.
What do medical organizations say? Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States opposes these practices, including the APA, AMA, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychiatric Association.
What does research say Christian parents should do instead? The Family Acceptance Project found that family support leads to dramatically better outcomes. Faith-focused families can seek pastoral counseling that supports the whole family without the goal of changing a child.