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Does Conversion Therapy Increase Suicide Risk?
Yes. The evidence on this question is consistent and, at this point, difficult to argue with. Multiple peer-reviewed studies tie conversion therapy to a sharply higher risk of suicide, and the largest study of its kind found that exposure roughly doubles the odds of a lifetime suicide attempt. For children put through it before age 10, the odds are four times higher.
This page walks through that research in plain terms, with links to the original studies, because this is the single most important fact a parent can know before considering any program that promises to change a child. For the fuller picture, see our overview of the risks and harms of conversion therapy.
What the Research Shows
Last Updated: July 2026
What the JAMA Psychiatry Study Found
The most rigorous data comes from a 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry, which drew on responses from 27,715 transgender adults, the largest survey of its kind in the United States. The researchers compared people who had discussed their identity with a professional and were pushed toward change with those who talked to a professional but were not.
The results were clear. Recalled exposure to these change efforts was associated with more than double the odds of a lifetime suicide attempt, an adjusted odds ratio of 2.27. Exposure was also linked to significantly higher rates of severe psychological distress in the previous month.
One finding matters especially for families weighing a faith-based program. The study found no meaningful difference in harm based on whether the change effort was delivered by a licensed professional or a religious advisor. A spiritual framing does not make the practice safer.
The Danger is Greatest for the Youngest Children
The same JAMA Psychiatry research found that people exposed to conversion efforts before the age of 10 had roughly four times the odds of a lifetime suicide attempt, an adjusted odds ratio of 4.15.
This cuts directly against the intuition that "getting ahead of it early" protects a child. The research points the other way. The earlier the intervention, the greater the lasting harm.
What the Family Acceptance Project Found
The second pillar of evidence comes from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, whose research is notable because it studied ethnically and religiously diverse families, including Christian households.
Their 2009 study in Pediatrics found that young people who faced high levels of family rejection during adolescence were:
8.4 times more likely to have attempted suicide
5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression
3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs
3.4 times more likely to have engaged in unprotected sex
compared with peers whose families were accepting or only mildly rejecting.
A striking detail from that research: being forbidden to associate with LGBTQ peers was found to be as damaging as physical or verbal abuse. Well-intentioned control still registers as rejection.
Why the Two Findings Reinforce Each Other
Conversion therapy and family rejection are not separate risks. They travel together. Enrolling a child in a program to change who they are is, in the child's experience, a rejecting act. It communicates that acceptance depends on becoming someone else.
So a family that turns to conversion therapy often stacks both documented risks at once: the direct harm of the practice measured in the JAMA Psychiatry data, and the harm of family rejection measured by the Family Acceptance Project. The two effects compound.
What Lowers the Risk
Here is the hopeful part, and it is backed by the same researchers. Family acceptance is powerfully protective. Young people who felt accepted during adolescence reported higher self-esteem, stronger social support, and better overall health, along with much lower rates of depression and suicidal behavior.
The Family Acceptance Project also found that even small shifts toward acceptance measurably improve a child's outlook. You do not have to have every answer. You only have to keep the door open. For more, read the answers to our most common questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does conversion therapy increase suicide risk?
Yes. Peer-reviewed research consistently links conversion therapy to higher suicide risk. A 2020 JAMA Psychiatry study found that exposure was associated with more than double the odds of a lifetime suicide attempt, and Family Acceptance Project research found that high family rejection raises the risk of a suicide attempt more than eightfold.
What did the JAMA Psychiatry study find about conversion therapy and suicide?
The 2020 JAMA Psychiatry study of 27,715 transgender adults found that recalled exposure to gender identity change efforts was associated with 2.27 times the odds of a lifetime suicide attempt and higher rates of severe psychological distress, compared with people who spoke to a professional without being pushed to change.
Is conversion therapy more dangerous for young children?
Yes. The same JAMA Psychiatry study found that people exposed to conversion efforts before age 10 had roughly four times the odds of a lifetime suicide attempt. Earlier exposure is linked to greater lasting harm, not less.
Does it matter whether conversion therapy is religious or secular?
No. The JAMA Psychiatry study found no meaningful difference in harm based on whether the change effort came from a licensed professional or a religious advisor. A faith-based framing does not make the practice safer.
How does family rejection affect suicide risk?
Family rejection is one of the strongest predictors of suicide risk for LGBTQ youth. A 2009 study in Pediatrics found that young people facing high family rejection were 8.4 times more likely to have attempted suicide than those with accepting families. Conversion therapy is experienced by a child as a form of rejection.
What reduces suicide risk for LGBTQ youth?
Family acceptance is the strongest protective factor. Research shows that accepted young people report higher self-esteem, stronger support, and much lower rates of depression and suicidal behavior, and that even small increases in accepting behavior improve a child's health.
If you or someone you love is struggling: In the U.S., call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or reach The Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386. Support is available 24 hours a day.