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Depression, Anxiety, and Self-Doubt in Kids Who Went Through "Conversion Therapy": What the Studies Found
The largest studies point the same way. Kids who go through so-called conversion therapy carry higher rates of depression, anxiety, and shame into adulthood.
Quick Takeaways
The largest studies point the same way. Kids who go through so-called conversion therapy carry higher rates of depression, anxiety, and shame into adulthood.
Family Acceptance Project research found serious depression more than doubled for young people whose parents tried to change them, and more than tripled when a therapist or religious leader was also involved.
A 2020 JAMA Psychiatry study of nearly 28,000 adults tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt, and roughly four times the odds when it came before age 10.
The harm looks the same whether it came from a licensed counselor or a religious advisor. A gentle or faith-framed approach is not a safer one.
None of this asks a parent to abandon their faith. A solution that wounds your child is not a solution.
Direct Answer: The studies are remarkably consistent. Children and teens put through so-called conversion therapy, whether they are gay or say they are transgender, carry measurably higher rates of depression, anxiety, and self-doubt into adulthood than those who were not. San Francisco State's Family Acceptance Project found serious depression more than doubled among young people whose parents tried to change them. A 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry of nearly 28,000 adults tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt. The pattern holds whether the effort is clinical or faith-framed. Loving your child and protecting them from that harm are not in conflict.
What the Family Acceptance Project Found
The clearest look at how these practices land on kids comes from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, whose research included many religious and Christian households. In a study of young adults ages 21 to 25, more than half reported that someone tried to change who they are during their teenage years. Serious depression more than doubled, from 16 percent among those with no such experience to 33 percent among those whose parents tried to change them. It more than tripled, to 52 percent, when an outside therapist or religious leader was also involved. Those same young people reported lower self-esteem and less social support, the real risks of conversion therapy no brochure mentions.
What a Larger Study of Adults Confirmed
A 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry widened the lens, surveying nearly 28,000 transgender adults across the country. Those who recalled being pushed to change carried higher rates of severe distress in the previous month, and more than double the odds of having attempted suicide at some point. For those whose experience happened before age 10, the odds were roughly four times higher. The harm was the same whether it came from a licensed professional or a religious advisor. Put plainly, whether conversion therapy raises the risk of suicide is no longer an open question.
Where the Self-Doubt Comes From
Numbers describe the pattern, but parents want to understand the why. When a trusted adult, a counselor, or a pastor treats a core part of a child as a defect to be corrected, the child absorbs a quiet message: something about me is broken. That belief is fertile ground for guilt, self-hatred, anxiety, and depression. Federal reviewers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reached the same finding. The child does not come out changed. They come out doubting themselves.
What This Means for Christian Families
None of these findings sit in judgment of anyone's faith. They are measurements, not sermons. What they show is that the promise at the heart of so-called conversion therapy, that a child can be fixed, tends to leave that child more depressed, more anxious, and less sure of their own worth. A parent can hold firmly to scripture and still refuse to hand a child to a practice the evidence links to harm. A solution that wounds your child, and often divides your family, is not a solution at all. What the mental health research shows points toward patience, presence, and support that keeps the relationship whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does conversion therapy cause depression and anxiety?
Research consistently links it to both. Family Acceptance Project data found serious depression more than doubled among kids whose parents tried to change them, and federal reviewers list depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem among the documented harms.
How much does the risk actually increase?
In one study, serious depression rose from 16 percent to 33 percent for kids whose parents tried to change them, and to 52 percent when a therapist or religious leader was also involved. A JAMA Psychiatry study tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt.
Is a gentle or faith-based version safer?
No. The JAMA Psychiatry research found no meaningful difference in harm whether the effort came from a licensed counselor or a religious advisor.
Is the harm worse for younger children?
The evidence points that way. Kids exposed before age 10 showed roughly four times the odds of a past suicide attempt. Earlier is not safer.
What can Christian parents do instead?
Steady support protects kids. Young people who feel accepted at home report higher self-esteem and far lower rates of depression. Faith-based support and patient presence keep a child safe without asking a family to choose.
Sources and Further Reading
Research on Conversion Therapy and Mental Health
Family Acceptance Project, "Conversion Therapy Begins at Home" (2018 study release) -- Findings on depression, suicide attempts, and self-esteem among young adults whose families tried to change them.
Parent-Initiated Sexual Orientation Change Efforts With LGBT Adolescents (Journal of Homosexuality, 2020) -- The peer-reviewed study behind those figures, led by Dr. Caitlin Ryan.
Recalled Exposure to Gender Identity Conversion Efforts and Psychological Distress and Suicide Attempts Among Transgender Adults (JAMA Psychiatry, 2020) -- The largest U.S. study linking these efforts to psychological distress and suicide attempts.
American Psychological Association: the evidence against conversion therapy -- APA's plain-language summary of the research and its position.
CT4F Resources for Families
Publicaciones recientes
Depression, Anxiety, and Self-Doubt in Kids Who Went Through "Conversion Therapy": What the Studies Found
The largest studies point the same way. Kids who go through so-called conversion therapy carry higher rates of depression, anxiety, and shame into adulthood.
Quick Takeaways
The largest studies point the same way. Kids who go through so-called conversion therapy carry higher rates of depression, anxiety, and shame into adulthood.
Family Acceptance Project research found serious depression more than doubled for young people whose parents tried to change them, and more than tripled when a therapist or religious leader was also involved.
A 2020 JAMA Psychiatry study of nearly 28,000 adults tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt, and roughly four times the odds when it came before age 10.
The harm looks the same whether it came from a licensed counselor or a religious advisor. A gentle or faith-framed approach is not a safer one.
None of this asks a parent to abandon their faith. A solution that wounds your child is not a solution.
Direct Answer: The studies are remarkably consistent. Children and teens put through so-called conversion therapy, whether they are gay or say they are transgender, carry measurably higher rates of depression, anxiety, and self-doubt into adulthood than those who were not. San Francisco State's Family Acceptance Project found serious depression more than doubled among young people whose parents tried to change them. A 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry of nearly 28,000 adults tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt. The pattern holds whether the effort is clinical or faith-framed. Loving your child and protecting them from that harm are not in conflict.
What the Family Acceptance Project Found
The clearest look at how these practices land on kids comes from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, whose research included many religious and Christian households. In a study of young adults ages 21 to 25, more than half reported that someone tried to change who they are during their teenage years. Serious depression more than doubled, from 16 percent among those with no such experience to 33 percent among those whose parents tried to change them. It more than tripled, to 52 percent, when an outside therapist or religious leader was also involved. Those same young people reported lower self-esteem and less social support, the real risks of conversion therapy no brochure mentions.
What a Larger Study of Adults Confirmed
A 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry widened the lens, surveying nearly 28,000 transgender adults across the country. Those who recalled being pushed to change carried higher rates of severe distress in the previous month, and more than double the odds of having attempted suicide at some point. For those whose experience happened before age 10, the odds were roughly four times higher. The harm was the same whether it came from a licensed professional or a religious advisor. Put plainly, whether conversion therapy raises the risk of suicide is no longer an open question.
Where the Self-Doubt Comes From
Numbers describe the pattern, but parents want to understand the why. When a trusted adult, a counselor, or a pastor treats a core part of a child as a defect to be corrected, the child absorbs a quiet message: something about me is broken. That belief is fertile ground for guilt, self-hatred, anxiety, and depression. Federal reviewers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reached the same finding. The child does not come out changed. They come out doubting themselves.
What This Means for Christian Families
None of these findings sit in judgment of anyone's faith. They are measurements, not sermons. What they show is that the promise at the heart of so-called conversion therapy, that a child can be fixed, tends to leave that child more depressed, more anxious, and less sure of their own worth. A parent can hold firmly to scripture and still refuse to hand a child to a practice the evidence links to harm. A solution that wounds your child, and often divides your family, is not a solution at all. What the mental health research shows points toward patience, presence, and support that keeps the relationship whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does conversion therapy cause depression and anxiety?
Research consistently links it to both. Family Acceptance Project data found serious depression more than doubled among kids whose parents tried to change them, and federal reviewers list depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem among the documented harms.
How much does the risk actually increase?
In one study, serious depression rose from 16 percent to 33 percent for kids whose parents tried to change them, and to 52 percent when a therapist or religious leader was also involved. A JAMA Psychiatry study tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt.
Is a gentle or faith-based version safer?
No. The JAMA Psychiatry research found no meaningful difference in harm whether the effort came from a licensed counselor or a religious advisor.
Is the harm worse for younger children?
The evidence points that way. Kids exposed before age 10 showed roughly four times the odds of a past suicide attempt. Earlier is not safer.
What can Christian parents do instead?
Steady support protects kids. Young people who feel accepted at home report higher self-esteem and far lower rates of depression. Faith-based support and patient presence keep a child safe without asking a family to choose.
Sources and Further Reading
Research on Conversion Therapy and Mental Health
Family Acceptance Project, "Conversion Therapy Begins at Home" (2018 study release) -- Findings on depression, suicide attempts, and self-esteem among young adults whose families tried to change them.
Parent-Initiated Sexual Orientation Change Efforts With LGBT Adolescents (Journal of Homosexuality, 2020) -- The peer-reviewed study behind those figures, led by Dr. Caitlin Ryan.
Recalled Exposure to Gender Identity Conversion Efforts and Psychological Distress and Suicide Attempts Among Transgender Adults (JAMA Psychiatry, 2020) -- The largest U.S. study linking these efforts to psychological distress and suicide attempts.
American Psychological Association: the evidence against conversion therapy -- APA's plain-language summary of the research and its position.
CT4F Resources for Families
Publicaciones recientes
Depression, Anxiety, and Self-Doubt in Kids Who Went Through "Conversion Therapy": What the Studies Found
The largest studies point the same way. Kids who go through so-called conversion therapy carry higher rates of depression, anxiety, and shame into adulthood.
Quick Takeaways
The largest studies point the same way. Kids who go through so-called conversion therapy carry higher rates of depression, anxiety, and shame into adulthood.
Family Acceptance Project research found serious depression more than doubled for young people whose parents tried to change them, and more than tripled when a therapist or religious leader was also involved.
A 2020 JAMA Psychiatry study of nearly 28,000 adults tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt, and roughly four times the odds when it came before age 10.
The harm looks the same whether it came from a licensed counselor or a religious advisor. A gentle or faith-framed approach is not a safer one.
None of this asks a parent to abandon their faith. A solution that wounds your child is not a solution.
Direct Answer: The studies are remarkably consistent. Children and teens put through so-called conversion therapy, whether they are gay or say they are transgender, carry measurably higher rates of depression, anxiety, and self-doubt into adulthood than those who were not. San Francisco State's Family Acceptance Project found serious depression more than doubled among young people whose parents tried to change them. A 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry of nearly 28,000 adults tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt. The pattern holds whether the effort is clinical or faith-framed. Loving your child and protecting them from that harm are not in conflict.
What the Family Acceptance Project Found
The clearest look at how these practices land on kids comes from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, whose research included many religious and Christian households. In a study of young adults ages 21 to 25, more than half reported that someone tried to change who they are during their teenage years. Serious depression more than doubled, from 16 percent among those with no such experience to 33 percent among those whose parents tried to change them. It more than tripled, to 52 percent, when an outside therapist or religious leader was also involved. Those same young people reported lower self-esteem and less social support, the real risks of conversion therapy no brochure mentions.
What a Larger Study of Adults Confirmed
A 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry widened the lens, surveying nearly 28,000 transgender adults across the country. Those who recalled being pushed to change carried higher rates of severe distress in the previous month, and more than double the odds of having attempted suicide at some point. For those whose experience happened before age 10, the odds were roughly four times higher. The harm was the same whether it came from a licensed professional or a religious advisor. Put plainly, whether conversion therapy raises the risk of suicide is no longer an open question.
Where the Self-Doubt Comes From
Numbers describe the pattern, but parents want to understand the why. When a trusted adult, a counselor, or a pastor treats a core part of a child as a defect to be corrected, the child absorbs a quiet message: something about me is broken. That belief is fertile ground for guilt, self-hatred, anxiety, and depression. Federal reviewers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reached the same finding. The child does not come out changed. They come out doubting themselves.
What This Means for Christian Families
None of these findings sit in judgment of anyone's faith. They are measurements, not sermons. What they show is that the promise at the heart of so-called conversion therapy, that a child can be fixed, tends to leave that child more depressed, more anxious, and less sure of their own worth. A parent can hold firmly to scripture and still refuse to hand a child to a practice the evidence links to harm. A solution that wounds your child, and often divides your family, is not a solution at all. What the mental health research shows points toward patience, presence, and support that keeps the relationship whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does conversion therapy cause depression and anxiety?
Research consistently links it to both. Family Acceptance Project data found serious depression more than doubled among kids whose parents tried to change them, and federal reviewers list depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem among the documented harms.
How much does the risk actually increase?
In one study, serious depression rose from 16 percent to 33 percent for kids whose parents tried to change them, and to 52 percent when a therapist or religious leader was also involved. A JAMA Psychiatry study tied these efforts to more than double the odds of a past suicide attempt.
Is a gentle or faith-based version safer?
No. The JAMA Psychiatry research found no meaningful difference in harm whether the effort came from a licensed counselor or a religious advisor.
Is the harm worse for younger children?
The evidence points that way. Kids exposed before age 10 showed roughly four times the odds of a past suicide attempt. Earlier is not safer.
What can Christian parents do instead?
Steady support protects kids. Young people who feel accepted at home report higher self-esteem and far lower rates of depression. Faith-based support and patient presence keep a child safe without asking a family to choose.
Sources and Further Reading
Research on Conversion Therapy and Mental Health
Family Acceptance Project, "Conversion Therapy Begins at Home" (2018 study release) -- Findings on depression, suicide attempts, and self-esteem among young adults whose families tried to change them.
Parent-Initiated Sexual Orientation Change Efforts With LGBT Adolescents (Journal of Homosexuality, 2020) -- The peer-reviewed study behind those figures, led by Dr. Caitlin Ryan.
Recalled Exposure to Gender Identity Conversion Efforts and Psychological Distress and Suicide Attempts Among Transgender Adults (JAMA Psychiatry, 2020) -- The largest U.S. study linking these efforts to psychological distress and suicide attempts.
American Psychological Association: the evidence against conversion therapy -- APA's plain-language summary of the research and its position.
CT4F Resources for Families