Clinical PsyD Trainees’ Comfort Discussing Sexual Issues with Clients

Abstract

Researchers and theorists have noted that sexuality is an innate element humans possess across the lifespan; however, it remains an uncomfortable area of discussion even among many psychologists-in-training. In this cross-sectional study, 138 Clinical PsyD trainees completed a questionnaire exploring their comfort discussing sexuality with clients. Trainees reported lower comfort appraisals when asked about discussing specific sexual concerns than when asked globally about discussing sexual issues with clients. Additionally, whereas male and female trainees reported similar comfort discussing sexual issues with female clients, female trainees reported significantly less comfort discussing sexual issues with male clients than did male trainees. Participants’ prior sexuality training and sexual attitudes correlated positively with their comfort appraisals, whereas general training or clinical experience did not, highlighting the need to incorporate specific sexuality training into doctoral curricula.

KEYWORDS:

• Clinical PsyD training
• client sexuality
• sexuality education
• therapist comfort
• doctoral trainees

Acknowledgments

The principal investigator presented a poster based on the data from this study at the 2010 Annual Conference of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.