Collecting Gender Identities in Counseling Research: A Content Analysis

Abstract

Counseling researchers are called to honor participants of all gender identities. A 10-year content analysis of 471 empirical studies in The Journal of Counseling & Development, Counselor Education and Supervision, and The Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling revealed contemporary practices for collecting research participant gender information. One in six studies included participants of marginalized gender identities. One in four studies focused on gender specifically and examples of inclusion and erasure of participants of marginalized gender identities are highlighted. Strategies for meaningfully including participants all gender identities or acknowledging methodological challenges that preclude inclusion are described.

Keywords:

• Gender identity
• informed consent
• participant risk
• research ethics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).