Mental Health Research:
WHAT MAJOR MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS SAY
Official Stances on Conversion Therapy from Major Medical Groups
Last Updated: March 2026
TABLE OF CONTENTS
American Psychological Association (APA)
American Psychiatric Association (APA-Psychiatry)
American Medical Association (AMA)
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
World Health Organization (WHO)
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
American Counseling Association (ACA)
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
American College of Physicians (ACP)
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Overview
Every major medical, psychological, and mental health organization in the United States, as well as the World Health Organization, has issued a formal position statement opposing conversion therapy. These positions are based on decades of peer-reviewed research and systematic review, and they are held consistently across the full spectrum of professional disciplines involved in the mental health care of minors and adults.
This page documents the official position of each major professional body, the specific language those organizations have used in their formal statements, the research on which their positions are based, and the statistics their publications and affiliated researchers have documented regarding the outcomes associated with conversion therapy.
The positions documented here are not advocacy claims. They are the formal institutional conclusions of the organizations that credential, license, train, and set ethical standards for mental health professionals in the United States and internationally. Each position is linked directly to its primary source.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Organizational Role
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 146,000 members. It publishes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual through its affiliated American Psychiatric Association and sets ethical standards for the practice of psychology nationwide.
Official Position
The APA's position on conversion therapy, formally known as sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) and gender identity change efforts (GICE), is one of the most thoroughly documented of any professional body. The APA unequivocally opposes the practice.
Its 2021 Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts states that conversion practices are "ineffective, potentially harmful, and not appropriate therapeutic practice." The resolution formally extended the APA's opposition from sexual orientation change efforts to gender identity change efforts, applying the same framework of documented harm and lack of efficacy to both categories.
The 2009 Task Force Report
The most comprehensive scientific review the APA has conducted on conversion therapy is the Report of the Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation, published in 2009. The Task Force reviewed 83 peer-reviewed studies published between 1960 and 2007 and reached the following conclusions:
There is insufficient evidence that SOCE is effective in changing sexual orientation.
Studies claiming positive outcomes consistently suffered from significant methodological problems, including lack of control groups, self-selected samples, reliance on self-report, and outcome measures that conflated behavior change with attraction change.
There is evidence of potential harm, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, particularly when the individual is a minor.
The Task Force found that "enduring change to an individual's sexual orientation is uncommon" and that the benefits claimed by SOCE participants "can be counteracted by its potential risks."
The report also noted the structural complication of consent when minors are involved, since the decision to undergo conversion therapy is typically made by parents rather than the young person themselves.
Key APA Research and Statistics
The APA Task Force cited consistent findings across the studies it reviewed that SOCE was associated with negative mental health outcomes including depression, anxiety, self-hatred, shame, and suicidal ideation. Specific findings documented in APA-affiliated research include:
Multiple studies found that SOCE was associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to LGBTQ+ individuals who had not undergone such efforts.
The Task Force found reports of harm from SOCE in a substantial proportion of the case studies and retrospective surveys it reviewed.
The APA's position statement notes that no peer-reviewed study has demonstrated that SOCE produces lasting changes in sexual orientation through a methodology that would meet basic scientific standards for causal inference.
APA Ethical Standards
The APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct states that psychologists must base their work on established scientific and professional knowledge and must not engage in unfair discrimination. The APA has concluded that providing conversion therapy is inconsistent with these ethical obligations because it is not grounded in evidence and is associated with harm.
American Psychiatric Association
Organizational Role
The American Psychiatric Association (APA-Psychiatry) is the primary professional organization for psychiatrists in the United States and publishes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the foundational diagnostic reference for mental health professionals worldwide.
Official Position
The American Psychiatric Association's position statement on conversion therapy states:
"The American Psychiatric Association does not believe that same-sex orientation should or needs to be changed, and efforts to do so represent a significant risk of harm by subjecting individuals to forms of treatment which have not been scientifically validated and by undermining self-esteem of gay men and lesbians."
The statement further holds that "the potential risks of reparative therapy are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by the patient."
The DSM and Diagnostic History
The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the DSM in 1973, a decision that eliminated the primary diagnostic justification for conversion therapy. The DSM-5 (2013) and DSM-5-TR (2022) contain no diagnostic category premised on homosexuality or same-sex attraction as pathological. The current DSM-5-TR includes Gender Dysphoria as a diagnosis, with the explicit framing that its inclusion is intended to facilitate access to care and does not classify gender diversity itself as a disorder.
The historical significance of the 1973 declassification is documented in the American Psychiatric Association's own retrospective materials and in Ronald Bayer's 1981 scholarly account Homosexuality and American Psychiatry: The Politics of Diagnosis.
Research Basis
The American Psychiatric Association's position is grounded in its review of the clinical literature, which it has concluded does not support the efficacy of conversion therapy and documents associated harm. The organization has filed amicus briefs in multiple federal cases challenging conversion therapy bans, arguing that the practice constitutes regulated clinical conduct rather than protected speech and that the evidentiary record of harm justifies state prohibition.
American Medical Association (AMA)
Organizational Role
The American Medical Association is the largest association of physicians in the United States, representing more than 270,000 physicians and medical students. It sets policy positions on a wide range of medical and public health questions and engages in legislative advocacy at the federal and state levels.
Official Position
The AMA has adopted formal policies opposing conversion therapy and supporting legislative efforts to ban the practice, particularly for minors. The AMA's policy holds that conversion therapy has no valid medical basis, is not a recognized medical treatment, and poses significant health risks to patients.
The AMA's LGBTQ+ resource center provides guidance to physicians on affirming care for LGBTQ+ patients and reflects the organization's position that sexual orientation and gender identity are natural variations of human characteristics, not medical conditions requiring correction.
AMA Policy on Minors
The AMA has specifically called for legislation banning conversion therapy for minors at both the state and federal levels. Its policy positions have supported state legislative efforts and have been cited in legislative testimony and amicus filings in conversion therapy litigation.
The AMA's position is that physicians who practice conversion therapy on minors are violating their ethical obligations under the AMA Code of Medical Ethics, which requires that treatments be grounded in evidence and not cause foreseeable harm.
Research Basis
The AMA's position is grounded in the broader medical literature on SOCE, including the APA Task Force Report, SAMHSA guidance, and peer-reviewed research in medical journals including the Journal of the American Medical Association and its affiliated publications. The AMA's Journal of Ethics has published multiple analyses of the ethical dimensions of conversion therapy.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Organizational Role
The American Academy of Pediatrics is the primary professional organization for pediatricians in the United States, with more than 67,000 members. It publishes the journal Pediatrics, one of the most widely cited peer-reviewed publications in child health, and sets clinical guidance for the care of children and adolescents.
Official Position
The AAP's 2018 Policy Statement, published in Pediatrics, is among the most comprehensive formal clinical statements on conversion therapy from any professional body. The policy states:
"Attempts to change a child's sexual orientation or gender identity are not effective and can be harmful. The AAP recommends that youth who identify as LGBTQ not be subjected to conversion therapy."
The policy further states that conversion therapy "has been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health organization for decades and is now considered neither medically nor ethically appropriate."
AAP Research and Key Findings
The 2018 policy statement synthesizes the research literature on LGBTQ+ youth health and identifies the following findings relevant to conversion therapy:
LGBTQ+ youth are at elevated risk for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts, and exposure to family rejection and conversion-oriented efforts is associated with worsening of these risks.
Parental acceptance is identified as a key protective factor associated with significantly better mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth.
Gender-affirming care, including social transition and, where appropriate, medical intervention, is supported by the available evidence as beneficial for gender-diverse youth who meet clinical criteria.
The AAP has also published guidance specifically addressing the role of pediatricians in supporting LGBTQ+ youth, including its 2021 clinical report on the pediatrician's role in supporting gender-diverse youth.
AAP on Affirming Care
The AAP's policy explicitly distinguishes conversion therapy from gender-affirming care and supports the latter as evidence-based. The policy calls on pediatricians to provide a "safe and affirming environment" for LGBTQ+ youth and to refer families to appropriate mental health resources that support rather than seek to change their child's identity.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Organizational Role
SAMHSA is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with the mandate to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on American communities. It is the primary federal agency responsible for setting standards and providing funding for mental health and substance abuse services across the country.
Official Position
SAMHSA has published two major documents opposing conversion therapy. The 2015 publication Ending Conversion Therapy: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth states:
"Conversion therapy can cause significant harm. It reflects a misunderstanding of both sexual orientation and gender identity. The appropriate response to LGBTQ youth is support and affirmation."
SAMHSA's 2023 report Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth is the most comprehensive federal guidance document on the subject to date. Its core conclusions include:
"An overarching and guiding conclusion of this report is that SOGI change efforts in children and adolescents are harmful and should never be provided."
"No available research supports the claim that SOGI change efforts are beneficial to children, adolescents, or families."
"Available research indicates that SOGI change efforts are not effective in altering sexual orientation. Further, no available research indicates that change efforts are effective in altering gender identity."
"Available research indicates that SOGI change efforts can cause significant harm."
"Gender affirmation, including social transition, and gender-affirming medical care are appropriate and beneficial for many gender minority youth."
SAMHSA on Research Methodology
A notable feature of the 2023 report is its direct response to the argument, made by some conversion therapy proponents, that the absence of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) weakens the evidence base against SOCE. SAMHSA stated:
"To date, there have been no experimental research studies of SOGI change efforts with children or adolescents, nor would they be ethical to conduct. There are valid ways to assess harm from SOGI change efforts without conducting an RCT. Retrospective studies, case studies, patient registries, and self-report surveys are also valid means to detect and report harms of a treatment."
SAMHSA on Rebranding
The 2023 report also directly addresses the practice of rebranding conversion therapy under new terminology, identifying specific rebranded variants including "sexual attraction fluidity exploration in therapy" (SAFE-T), "reintegrative therapy," and certain uses of the term "gender-exploratory therapy." SAMHSA recommended that policymakers adopt functional, goal-based definitions of conversion therapy to prevent rebranding from circumventing legal protections.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Organizational Role
The World Health Organization is the specialized health agency of the United Nations, responsible for international public health. Its guidelines, classifications, and policy recommendations carry significant weight in global health policy and influence national health systems in its 194 member states.
Official Position
The WHO published a comprehensive 2023 report on conversion therapy titled Conversion Therapy: An Overview of Systematic Review Evidence, which represents the organization's most thorough engagement with the scientific literature to date. The report concludes:
"Conversion therapy constitutes a serious threat to the health and human rights of the people subjected to it. Conversion therapy is based on the incorrect assumption that LGBTIQ people's sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression can be and should be changed. It has been demonstrated to be harmful and ineffective."
The WHO called on all member states to prohibit conversion therapy and to take legislative, regulatory, and administrative action to end the practice, protect those subjected to it, and support survivors.
WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
The WHO's International Classification of Diseases, the global standard for disease classification, does not classify homosexuality as a disorder. Homosexuality was removed from the ICD in 1990. The current ICD-11 (2022) similarly does not classify transgender identity as a disorder. Gender incongruence is included in ICD-11 under a separate chapter on sexual health, with the explicit framing that its inclusion is intended to ensure access to health care rather than to pathologize gender diversity.
WHO Research and Statistics
The 2023 WHO report synthesized findings from systematic reviews conducted across multiple countries and found that:
Conversion therapy is practiced in at least 68 countries worldwide.
Survivors of conversion therapy report higher rates of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation than LGBTQ+ individuals who were not subjected to such efforts.
The WHO found no credible scientific evidence that conversion therapy is effective in changing sexual orientation or gender identity.
The report identified specific populations at elevated risk, including youth, individuals in highly religious communities, and individuals in countries or regions with strong social stigma against LGBTQ+ identity.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
Organizational Role
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is the primary professional organization for child and adolescent psychiatrists in the United States. It sets clinical standards and publishes practice parameters for the psychiatric care of individuals under 18.
Official Position
The AACAP's Policy Statement on Conversion Therapy states that conversion therapy is "not supported by science" and represents "a specific risk" to children and adolescents. The policy states:
"AACAP strongly opposes any efforts to change a child's sexual orientation or gender identity through conversion therapy. Such practices are not supported by science, may cause significant harm, and represent a serious risk to children and adolescents."
The AACAP notes that children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the harms of conversion therapy because they lack the full developmental capacity to resist adult authority, are dependent on family and community structures that may be directing them toward conversion, and are at a critical stage of identity formation.
AACAP Research Basis
The AACAP's policy draws on the child and adolescent psychiatric literature documenting the elevated mental health risks faced by LGBTQ+ youth and the additional harm associated with conversion-oriented efforts. The organization's position is that appropriate psychiatric care for LGBTQ+ youth focuses on managing distress, supporting healthy identity development, and addressing family and community factors that contribute to minority stress.
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Organizational Role
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy is the professional organization for licensed marriage and family therapists in the United States, representing more than 50,000 therapists. It sets ethical standards and educational requirements for marriage and family therapy licensure.
Official Position
The AAMFT's position statement on sexual orientation and gender identity states:
"The AAMFT does not consider homosexuality a disorder that requires treatment and as such we see no basis for attempting conversion therapy. AAMFT expects its members to practice based on the best research and clinical evidence available."
The AAMFT further states that it "recognizes the importance of therapists not imposing their own values on clients" and discourages therapists from practicing any therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity.
Ethical Standards
The AAMFT Code of Ethics requires therapists to practice within the boundaries of competence and based on established knowledge. Because no credible evidence base supports conversion therapy, the AAMFT has concluded that offering SOCE is inconsistent with the ethical obligations its members have undertaken.
American Counseling Association (ACA)
Organizational Role
The American Counseling Association is the world's largest organization exclusively representing professional counselors, with more than 59,000 members. It sets educational, ethical, and practice standards for licensed professional counselors in the United States.
Official Position
The ACA's position statement on conversion therapy formally opposes all forms of conversion therapy and states that the ACA:
"Opposes the promotion of 'reparative therapy' as a 'cure' for individuals who are homosexual... [and] strongly opposes portraying lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals as mentally ill due to their sexual orientation."
The ACA's position has been updated over time to reflect the growing body of evidence and the evolution of the professional consensus. The organization has called for legislation banning conversion therapy for minors and has provided support to members who face professional or legal pressure to offer conversion-oriented services.
ACA Ethics Code
The ACA Code of Ethics requires counselors to maintain competence and base their practice on evidence. The ACA has concluded that providing conversion therapy is inconsistent with its ethical standards because the practice lacks an evidence base and is associated with harm.
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Organizational Role
The National Association of Social Workers is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with more than 120,000 members in the United States. It sets ethical standards for social work practice and publishes the NASW Code of Ethics.
Official Position
The NASW's position statement on conversion therapy states:
"The National Association of Social Workers opposes conversion therapy and believes that lesbians and gay men, as well as transgender and gender nonconforming individuals, are entitled to a social work practice that affirms their identities. NASW holds that attempts to change sexual orientation are likely to lead to significant depression, loss of intimate relationships, and spiritual harm, while achieving no change in sexual orientation."
The NASW has further noted that the core values of social work, including respect for human dignity, social justice, and the importance of human relationships, are fundamentally inconsistent with conversion-oriented practices.
NASW Research Basis
The NASW's position draws on the broader mental health research literature as well as social work-specific research on the outcomes experienced by LGBTQ+ clients. The organization has also documented the particular harms of conversion therapy in family and community contexts, consistent with its professional focus on the social environment as a determinant of health.
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
Organizational Role
The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies is a professional organization for clinicians and researchers who practice cognitive-behavioral and related therapies. It has more than 4,500 members.
Official Position and Task Force Report
The ABCT commissioned a formal Task Force to review the evidence on SOCE and published its conclusions in 2022. The Task Force report states:
"Sexual orientation and gender identity/expression change efforts (SOGIECEs) have been discredited by decades of scientific research as ineffective and harmful. A growing body of research documents that individuals who undergo SOGIECEs experience significant increases in depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts."
The report further states: "A meta-analysis found that exposure to SOGIECEs was associated with a more than twofold increase in the odds of suicide attempts."
The ABCT Task Force concluded: "SOGIECEs are inconsistent with evidence-based practice and violate the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and respect for people's rights and dignity. Behavioral therapists must not only avoid SOGIECEs but should affirm diverse sexual orientations and gender identities and actively oppose policies that support change efforts."
The full Task Force report is available through ABCT's published resources.
American College of Physicians (ACP)
Organizational Role
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States, with more than 160,000 members. It is the primary professional organization for internists and sets clinical practice standards across internal medicine.
Official Position
The ACP's position paper on sexual orientation and gender identity states that the organization opposes the use of conversion therapy and supports the provision of affirming health care to LGBTQ+ patients.
The ACP has called for the elimination of conversion therapy practices, both through professional standards and through legislation, and has identified the practice as inconsistent with the ethical obligations of internists. The organization's position is that sexual orientation and gender identity are natural aspects of human diversity, not medical conditions requiring intervention.
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Organizational Role
The Pan American Health Organization is the international public health agency for the Americas and serves as the regional office of the World Health Organization for the Western Hemisphere. Its positions on health policy carry significant weight across 35 member states.
Official Position
PAHO issued a formal statement on conversion therapy declaring that services described as "conversion therapy" represent "a serious threat to the health and human rights of LGBTQ people" and calling for their elimination.
The statement notes that PAHO "strongly condemns these supposed therapies" and that they "lack any medical justification and represent a serious violation of the ethical principles of health care and violate human rights."
PAHO further stated that sexual orientation and gender identity are aspects of human diversity and should be addressed through mental health approaches that support wellbeing rather than seeking to change identity.
What the Research Shows: A Summary of Key Statistics
The following statistics are drawn from peer-reviewed research and federal agency reports. Full citations are provided in the sources section at the end of this page.
Prevalence
Approximately 698,000 LGBTQ+ adults in the United States have been subjected to conversion therapy during their lifetimes, according to Williams Institute estimates from 2019.
An estimated 350,000 of those individuals underwent conversion therapy as minors.
Approximately 57,000 youth ages 13 to 17 have been subjected to conversion therapy by a religious or spiritual advisor.
Three times as many minors are subjected to religion-based conversion efforts as to clinical ones.
Efficacy
No peer-reviewed study meeting basic methodological standards has demonstrated that conversion therapy produces lasting changes in sexual orientation, according to the APA's 2009 systematic review of 83 studies published between 1960 and 2007.
SAMHSA's 2023 report states that "no available research supports the claim that SOGI change efforts are beneficial" and "no available research indicates that change efforts are effective in altering gender identity."
Robert Spitzer, who in 2003 published what was widely considered the most credible post-1990 positive-outcomes study for SOCE, formally retracted the study in 2012 and apologized for its flawed methodology.
Mental Health Outcomes
LGBTQ+ youth who were subjected to conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide compared to those who had not, according to a 2018 analysis by The Trevor Project of 25,791 LGBTQ+ youth.
Youth subjected to combined parental and clinical conversion efforts had an attempted suicide rate of 63%, compared to 22% among peers with no such exposure, according to Ryan and colleagues' research through the Family Acceptance Project.
Depression rates more than doubled (33% vs. 16%) among youth subjected to parental SOCE involvement compared to those who were not, per the same Family Acceptance Project research.
A meta-analysis cited by the ABCT Task Force (2022) found that exposure to SOCE was associated with a more than twofold increase in the odds of suicide attempts.
A 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry by Turban and colleagues found that recalled exposure to gender identity conversion efforts was associated with significantly elevated rates of lifetime suicide attempts among transgender adults.
A 2020 study in the American Journal of Public Health by Blosnich and colleagues found that sexual minority adults who had undergone SOCE reported higher rates of adverse childhood experiences, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts than those who had not.
Economic Burden
Research published in JAMA Pediatrics (2022) estimated the total annual direct cost of SOGIECE among LGBTQ+ youth in the United States at approximately $650 million.
When associated harms including increased rates of substance abuse, depression treatment, and suicide attempts are included, the total estimated annual economic burden rises to approximately $9.23 billion.
On a per-individual lifetime basis, SOGIECE is estimated to be associated with approximately $97,985 in additional costs and 1.61 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost.
Affirmative therapy, by contrast, was estimated to yield cost savings of $40,329 with 0.93 QALYs gained compared to no intervention.
Rates of Regret After Gender-Affirming Surgery
For comparison purposes, research published in the American Journal of Surgery (2024) found that the rate of regret after gender-affirming surgery is approximately 1%, compared to approximately 30% after prostatectomy and up to 19.5% after bariatric surgery.
What Major Organizations Recommend Instead
Major professional bodies have not only opposed conversion therapy but have also published affirmative guidance on what constitutes appropriate care for LGBTQ+ youth and adults experiencing distress related to sexual orientation or gender identity.
Affirmative Therapy
The APA's 2009 Task Force recommended "affirmative multiculturally competent" therapeutic approaches that support clients' overall wellbeing without a predetermined identity outcome. Affirmative therapy does not attempt to change sexual orientation or gender identity. Instead, it supports individuals in managing minority stress, building resilience, navigating family and community relationships, and developing a positive and integrated sense of self.
SAMHSA's 2023 report describes affirmative practice as providing "culturally responsive and client-centered treatment" including acceptance and support, identity exploration and development, and assistance with managing the social and community stressors associated with minority status.
Family Acceptance Project Model
The Family Acceptance Project, developed by Dr. Caitlin Ryan at San Francisco State University, has produced evidence-based family education materials showing that specific accepting behaviors by parents are associated with significantly better mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth. The Project's research identified more than 100 specific family behaviors that either support or undermine the wellbeing of LGBTQ+ young people and developed educational materials to help families shift toward more accepting responses.
Families who engaged in accepting behaviors, including using the young person's preferred name and pronouns, advocating for the young person in community settings, and maintaining relationship connection, saw significantly reduced rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse in their LGBTQ+ children.
The Dutch Protocol
For youth experiencing gender dysphoria, the Dutch Protocol, developed at the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam and described in foundational research by de Vries and Cohen-Kettenis (2012), established a model emphasizing comprehensive psychological assessment and individualized monitoring before any medical intervention.
The protocol prioritizes understanding the full psychological profile of the young person, addressing co-occurring mental health conditions, and providing ongoing support to both the youth and their family. This approach has been influential in shaping clinical guidelines internationally.
AAP Clinical Guidance
The AAP's 2021 clinical report on gender-diverse youth recommends that pediatricians take a supportive, non-judgmental approach, provide accurate information to families, and refer to multidisciplinary specialists when medical intervention is being considered. The report explicitly identifies conversion therapy as harmful and recommends against it in all circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do any major medical organizations support conversion therapy?
No. As documented on this page, every major medical and mental health professional organization in the United States has issued a formal statement opposing conversion therapy. This includes the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, SAMHSA, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Counseling Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the American College of Physicians. Internationally, the World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization have also formally opposed the practice.
Has any credible scientific study found that conversion therapy works?
No peer-reviewed study meeting basic methodological standards has demonstrated that conversion therapy reliably or durably changes sexual orientation or gender identity. The most significant positive-outcomes study published after 1990, Robert Spitzer's 2003 study in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, was formally retracted by its author in 2012. The APA's 2009 Task Force reviewed 83 studies and found no credible evidence of lasting efficacy. SAMHSA's 2023 report states that no available research supports the claim that SOCE is beneficial.
What do medical organizations recommend for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing distress?
Major professional bodies consistently recommend affirmative therapeutic approaches that support the young person's overall mental health and wellbeing without a predetermined identity outcome. These approaches focus on managing minority stress, supporting healthy identity development, improving family and social relationships, and addressing co-occurring mental health conditions. The Family Acceptance Project's research has demonstrated that increased family acceptance is among the most effective factors in improving mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth.
Why do medical organizations specifically oppose conversion therapy for minors?
Several features of the minor context make conversion therapy particularly concerning from a clinical standpoint. Minors typically do not initiate conversion therapy themselves; the decision is made by parents or guardians. Minors are developmentally vulnerable and may lack the capacity to critically evaluate or resist authority-directed intervention. They are at a critical stage of identity formation, and negative experiences during this period are associated with more severe long-term psychological consequences. And the research on suicide risk is particularly elevated for minors who are subjected to conversion efforts. Every major organization that has issued a position statement on conversion therapy has identified the minor context as a reason for particular concern.
Does the medical consensus apply only to clinical conversion therapy, or also to religious programs?
The professional position statements documented on this page apply to conversion therapy regardless of the setting or framework in which it is delivered. Medical and psychological organizations have not carved out an exemption for religiously framed conversion efforts. The concern is with the goal and outcome of the intervention (attempting to change sexual orientation or gender identity) rather than with its specific technique or setting. Whether a state law banning conversion therapy extends to religious or pastoral counseling is a separate legal question, addressed on the State Laws page.
What does the DSM say about homosexuality and gender identity?
The current DSM-5-TR does not classify homosexuality, same-sex attraction, or transgender identity as mental disorders. Homosexuality was removed from the DSM in 1973. Gender Dysphoria, defined as clinically significant distress associated with incongruence between a person's experienced gender and their assigned sex, remains a DSM diagnosis with the explicit framing that its inclusion facilitates access to care and does not pathologize gender diversity itself.
Primary Sources and Further Reading
Professional Position Statements
American Psychological Association (2021). Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts.
American Psychological Association Task Force (2009). Report of the Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation.
American Psychological Association. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
American Psychiatric Association (2023). Position statement on conversion therapy.
American Medical Association. LGBTQ resource center for physicians.
American Academy of Pediatrics (2018). Policy statement: Ensuring comprehensive care and support for transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents. Pediatrics.
American Academy of Pediatrics (2021). Clinical report: The pediatrician's role in supporting gender-diverse youth. Pediatrics.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2018). Policy statement on conversion therapy.
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Position statement on sexual orientation and gender identity.
American Counseling Association. Resolution opposing conversion therapy.
American Counseling Association. ACA Code of Ethics.
National Association of Social Workers. Position statement on conversion therapy.
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (2022). SOGICE fact sheet.
American College of Physicians (2020). Position paper on sexual and gender minority health.
Pan American Health Organization. Statement on conversion therapy.
World Health Organization (2023). Conversion therapy: An overview of systematic review evidence.
Federal Agency Guidance
SAMHSA (2015). Ending Conversion Therapy: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth.
SAMHSA (2023). Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth.
Peer-Reviewed Research
Turban, J. L., et al. (2020). Association between recalled exposure to gender identity conversion efforts and psychological distress and suicide attempts among transgender adults. JAMA Psychiatry.
Blosnich, J. R., et al. (2020). Sexual orientation change efforts, adverse childhood experiences, and suicide ideation and attempt among sexual minority adults. American Journal of Public Health.
Ryan, C., et al. (2020). Parent-initiated sexual orientation change efforts with LGBT adolescents. Journal of Homosexuality.
Shumer, D. E., et al. (2022). Economic burden of conversion therapy among LGBTQ youths. JAMA Pediatrics.
Thornton, C., et al. (2024). A systematic review of patient regret after surgery. American Journal of Surgery.
Spitzer, R. L. (2012). Spitzer reassesses his 2003 study of reparative therapy of homosexuality. Archives of Sexual Behavior.
de Vries, A. L. C., and Cohen-Kettenis, P. T. (2012). Clinical management of gender dysphoria in children and adolescents. Journal of Homosexuality.
Population and Prevalence Data
Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law (2019). Conversion therapy and LGBTQ youth.
The Trevor Project (2020). Research brief: Conversion therapy and suicide.
Family Acceptance Project, San Francisco State University. Research and educational resources.
Diagnostic References