Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy Volume 25 | Number 1 Article 2 4-1-2000 Homosexuality and Change: Results of a NARTH Survey A. Dean Byrd Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/irp Recommended Citation Byrd, A. Dean (2000) "Homosexuality and Change: Results of a NARTH Survey," Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy: Vol. 25 : No. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/irp/vol25/iss1/2 This Article or Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the All Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. VOLUME 25, NUMllER I AM CAP JOURNAL 2000 Homosexuality and Change: Results ofa NARTH Survey A. DEAN BYRD PHD, MBA Thrasher Research Fund and University oj Utah School oj Medicine SUMMARY OF SURVEY PURPOSE sought and experienced some degree of change:' It also AND METHODOLOGY explained that "participation in this study is completely vol­ untary and anonymous. You may choose not to participate, n 1996-97 the National Association for Research and and you have the right to refuse to answer any question:' The I Therapy ofHomosexuality (NARTH) conducted a nation­ survey also instructed the participants to mail the completed wide survey of people who have made efforts to change their survey directly to Dr. Joseph Nicolosi. sexual orientation (Nicolosi, Byrd & Potts, 2000b). Seventy­ There were seventy questions on the survey. Respondents nine members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day were asked to provide (1) basic background and demograph­ Saints (LOS) participated in this survey. This report presents ic information, (2) information about their past and current the results of the NARTH survey for these 79 LOS people. sexual orientation, behaviors, and experiences, (3) informa­ The purpose of the survey was to ask dissatisfied homosex­ tion about their experiences with conversion therapy, and (4) ually-oriented people who have attempted to change their sex­ information about their past and current psychological func­ ual orientation about their experiences concerning a variety of tioning. In making the ratings about their past functioning, issues including (1) whether conversion therapy has been participants were asked to recall the time in their life when helpful to them, (2) what types of changes have they experi­ they were most strongly experiencing homosexual thoughts, enced in their sexual orientation, and (3) what types of emo­ feelings, and/or behaviors and to rate how they perceived tional and psychological changes have they experienced since their sexual and psychological functioning at that time. They making efforts to change their sexual orientation. By survey­ were then asked to rate their current sexual and psychologi­ ing a large number of people who have been conversion ther­ cal functioning. These ratings were all made on 7-point apy clients, the survey allowed the researchers to determine in Likert scales. There were also 5 open-ended questions on the what ways people who have actually experienced conversion survey that asked participants to share their perceptions therapy believe that it has helped or harmed them. about the therapy they had received (e.g., what about it was helpful or unhelpful) and the changes they had experienced. SURVEY DESCRIPTION PROCEDURES The first page of the survey explained that the purpose of the survey was to "explore the experiences of individuals who During 1996, Dr.Joseph Nicolosi sent copies ofthe survey to have struggled with homosexuality during a time in their conversion therapist and clients throughout the United States lives, were dissatisfied with that orientation, and have since that he was able to identify through personal acquaintance and 10 AM CAP JOURNAL 2000 VOLUME 25, NUMBER I membership roles ofNARTH. He asked therapists to pass out (4%) were women. The average age ofthe clients was 36.3 years copies of the survey to their clients and former clients and to and the median age was 35.5. Seventy-one (91%) ofthe clients other therapists they knew who practiced conversion therapy. were Caucasian and 7 (9%) were some other racial back­ These therapists and clients were also asked to give surveys to ground. All of the clients included in this report were LOS therapists and clients they knew. Many surveys were also dis­ (total LOS sample size in the NARTH survey was 79). tributed at ex-gay ministry groups (e.g., Courage, Exodus Seventy-two (91%) of the clients said that religion or spiri­ International, Evergreen International) and Homosexuals tuality is very important to them and 7 (9%) said it was some­ Anonymous. Advertisements were also placed in newsletters of what important. Sixty-seven (85%) of the clients said they these organizations and announced at their conferences. All attend religious services one or more times per week, 8 (10%) potential respondents were assured that their anonymity and said they attend one or two times per month, and 3 (4%) said confidentiality would be safeguarded. They were instructed not they attend about 6 - 10 times per year. These findings docu­ to write their names on the surveys. Respondents mailed the ment the fact that the LOS clients were overwhelmingly a completed surveys directly to Dr. Joseph Nicolosi. devout, religiously active group. Thirty (41%) of the clients were from Utah, 14 (19%) from SUMMARY OF TABLE I California, and 29 (40%) were from a variety of other states CLIENT DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS (mostly from the western states of Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas and a small number were from Indiana, In Table 1 the demographic characteristics ofthe client sam­ Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia). The clients were well edu­ ple are presented. Seventy-six (96%) ofthe clients were men; 3 cated as a group: 21 (27%) had a graduate degree and 33 (42%) TABLE 1 NARTH SURVEY: DEMOGRAPHICS OF LDS CLIENT SAM.PLE VARIABLE N % MEAN S.D. MEDIAN VARIABLE N % MEAN S.D. MEDIAN Gender Total Annual Household Income Male 76 96 L <$ I0,000 9 II Female 3 4 2. 10.000 - 19,000 10 13 3. 20.000 - 29,000 12 15 4. 30,000 - 39,000 ] 6 20 5. 40.000 - 49,000 ] 7 22 6. 40.000 - 69,000 6 8 7. >70.000 9 II Age 76 36.3 9.93 35.5 Number of Dependents 79 3.0 2,4 LO Race Marital Status Caucasian 71 9 ] L Married 29 37 Other 7 9 2. Divorced 7 9 3. Separated 3 4. Never Married 40 5 ] 5. Living with opposite sex partner 0 0 Religion Years of Marriage 29 14.6 9.6 13.0 LD$ 79 100 Religious Important Number of Children 35 3.7 1.5 4.0 1=very important 72 91 2=somewhat important 7 9 3=not important 0 0 How Often Attend Religious Services In loving, committed non-marital L One or more times per week 67 85 relationship with opposite sex partner 2. One or two times a month 8 10 1. Yes 4 6 3. 6-10 times a year 3 4 2. No 66 94 4. Once a year II 5. Less than once a year 0 0 6. Never 0 0 Place of Residence Age of First Homosexual Awareness 78 12.5 7.'2 12.0 1. Utah 30 4] 2. California 14 19 Childhood Homosexual Contact 3. Othcr 29 40 1. Ycs 49 62 2. No 30 38 Education Level Age of First Homosexual Contact 57 10.0 4.2 9.0 1. Some high school 0 0 2. High school graduate I I Partner's Age at First Homosexual Contact 60 14.5 9.4 13.0 3. Some college 23 29 4. College graduate 25 32 5. Some graduate school 8 10 Number of Homosexual Contacts 67 ]42.4 283.1 20.0 6. Graduate degree 21 27 7. Vocational school ]] 8. Other 0 0 II A. DEAN BYRD HOMOSEXUALITY AND CHANGE had a bachelor's degree. The clients' annual household incomes enced their first homosexual contact was 14.5 years (median = were quite evenly distributed from very little income to very 13.0). The average number of homosexual contacts with a much. Nine (11%) of the clients said their annual income was partner reported by the clients was 142.4; (median = 20.0). less than $10,000 and at the other extreme 9 clients said their The range of homosexual contacts was from 1 to 999+. annual income was greater than $70,000. The average number ofdependents supported by these incomes was 3.0. SUMMARY OF TABLE 2 Twenty-nine (37%) of the clients were married, 7 (9%) were LDS CLIENTS PERCEPTIONS OF THERAPY divorced, 2 (3%) were separated, and 40 (51%) had never been married. The average number ofyears ofmarriage for clients who In Table 2 the clients' perceptions of and experiences with were married was 14.6 and the median years of marriage was psychotherapy and other forms of treatment (e.g., counseling 13.0. The average number of children for the clients was 3.7 and from bishops) are presented. Sixty-five clients said they have the median number ofchildren was 4.0. Four (6%) ofthe clients participated in sexual reorientation therapy with a profession­ said they were in a loving, committed non-marital relationship al therapist, 38 said they have received assistance from a non­ with a member ofthe opposite sex; 66(94%) said they were not. professional counselor, and 10 said they have never received The average age when the clients first became aware that reorientation counseling. These number do not add up to 79 they had homosexual tendencies was 12.5 years (median = because some clients reported that they have received counsel­ 12.0 years).