Exploring the relationships among practitioners’ consultation skills, competence to counsel lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients, and attitudes toward transgender people

Abstract

Consultation is an intervention that can diffuse expertise in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) issues throughout systems of care. Practitioners (N = 145) were surveyed on their lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) counseling competence, attitudes toward transgender people, and consultation skills. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis identified that consultation competence significantly influenced (p ≤ .01) LGB counseling skills over and above LGB knowledge and awareness, attitudes toward transgender people, and participant demographic characteristics. The domains of LGB competence and attitudes toward transgender people were also significantly correlated within the participant sample. Implications for practice, training, and future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• LGB competence
• transgender people
• consultation
• regression