Exploring mental health professionals’ experience, training, and clinical preparedness to provide care for LGBTQIA+ individuals

Introduction. LGBTQIA+ individuals face disproportionately high levels of mental health challenges, exacerbated by discrimination, stigma, and inadequate care from untrained mental health professionals. Despite evolving societal attitudes, barriers to accessing mental health care persist, mainly due to professionals’ lack of formal training in LGBTQIA+ affirmative care. This study examines the training, experience, and self-perceived clinical preparedness of mental health professionals in providing care to LGBTQIA+ individuals. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 68 mental health professionals, including clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychology trainees. The survey assessed their formal training in LGBTQIA+ mental health care, years of clinical experience, and self-perceived preparedness to provide affirmative care. Results. The survey revealed that many participants (n = 54, 79.4%) lacked formal LGBTQIA+ affirmative training, and many (n = 53, 77.9%) reported feeling inadequately prepared to provide care for LGBTQIA+ individuals. A significant positive correlation was found between clinical experience and self-perceived preparedness (r = 0.240, p < 0.05), but no significant correlation was identified between formal training and preparedness. This unexpected result may be due to the limited scope or insufficient depth of the existing training programs or the lack of continued supervision following introductory training. Conclusion. This study highlights the urgent need for structured LGBTQIA+ affirmative care training in mental health education. Integrating such training into national curricula and licensing programs is essential. Future research should explore broader populations and the specific elements of training that contribute most to clinical preparedness.