Diversity issues in conflict: How MFT programs respond to issues of religion and sexual orientatio

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how MFT graduate training programs respond to the specific diversity conflict between religion and sexual orientation. Currently, there is a lack of religious and affirmative training in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) training programs. The execution of diversity training in MFT programs is discussed, focusing upon the strategies for implementing diversity within classroom curricula, supervision, self-of-the-therapist work, and outside exposure. The author sampled all faculty members working at Master's level programs approved by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and their students. In response to a call for increasing cultural competence in the field, this study tests the effectiveness of these strategies for incorporating diversity as partially mediated by religious and tolerance toward lesbian, gay male, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Results show that incorporating diversity program-wide was the only significant predictor of effectiveness from the faculty sample; however, incorporating religious and LGB topics in the classroom and in supervision were significant predictors of sexual orientation counselor competency and students' effectiveness at managing the conflict between religion and sexual orientation. Results also confirm the partially mediating effects of tolerance and self-of-the-therapist development. Consequently, the findings from this study have several important implications for diversity training, particularly as it relates to the inclusion of religious and LGB training in MFT program.