多元性別議題諮商能力：訓練方案對知識、覺察與技能影響之研究

LGBT Issues and Counseling Competency: The Impact of Training on Enhancing Knowledge, Awareness and Skills

本研究主要目的在設計與發展一套以諮商系所研究生為對象的多元性別議題諮商能力訓練方案，並探討研究生參與訓練方案以裝備多元性別議題諮商能力的經驗。四十位研究參與者接受四十小時的訓練，課程包括六大主題，分別為自我認同發展歷程、人際與親密關係、現身與家庭關係、生涯發展歷 程、污名化以及系統合作。研究者透過焦點團體訪談與內容分析法探討訓練方案所產生之影響、影響內涵與促進改變的因素。研究結果發現本訓練方案對於提升研究參與者的多元性別議題諮商能力有正向助益，內涵包括促進研究參與者對多元性別議題有更深入的認識，裝備豐厚的知識、覺察自身在多 元性別議題上顯而易見或隱而未顯的刻板印象、在態度上轉變為開放、彈性與欣賞、多元思考與討論、勇敢與倡導、真誠一致與同理以及提升包括同理、敏感度與傾聽、資訊提供、系統合作與倡導、視覺化媒材的運用等技能。此外，研究結果也發現讓研究參與者認為在接受訓練的過程中能達到有效 學習的關鍵因素包括多方討論、換位思考、體驗性活動與現身說法這四項。依據研究結果與討論，研究者整理出解構文化膠囊的思考慣性、脈絡性地裝備多元性別諮商能力以及促進反思性學習等三點建議，做為培育諮商心理師的教育者未來在設計與推動多元性別諮商能力訓練課程時的參考。

 

Research showed that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals have a higher prevalence rate of mental disorders than heterosexuals. Mental health is related to different factors, such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Stressors that are unique to LGBT individuals, such as homophobia, stigma, prejudice, discrimination and hate crimes, create a hostile environment for LGBT individuals. According to literature, a stressful social environment is related to higher risk of mental disorders, substance abuse, and suicidal behaviors. For LGBT adolescents, it is rather common to experience bully in school, which has a negative impact on their mental health. Moreover, their functioning level related to life and school usually decline, such as lower academic achievement, dropping out of school, etc. Research indicated that being bully during adolescence is related to depression, suicide ideation, lower life satisfaction, and lower selfesteem in adult life. Being rejected by others is also related to fear of establishing close relationships, lack of positive outlook of life, difficulty of expressing emotions, etc. For LGBT adults, they often need to deal with differential treatment in the work environment. For example, transgender individuals’ income is usually lower than non-transgender individuals. Those unique stressors related to LGBT individuals indicate that they are in great need of professional help. However, it is rather difficult for LGBT individuals to find satisfying mental health services, which reflects the lack of appropriate and effective training in the counseling graduate programs. This study aimed at designing and developing a training program for counseling graduate students to enhance their multicultural counseling competency to serve LGBT clients, and exploring their experience in the training program. Participants were recruited from counseling-related graduate programs. Participants included 40 graduate students from counseling-related programs. The training program was designed based on the framework of multicultural counseling competence (i.e., knowledge, attitude, and skills), cognitive developmental theory, relevant literature, and discussions with professionals of LGBT issues. Participants received 40 hours of training related to LGBT issues which included six themes. The training themes were self-identification development process, interpersonal and romantic relationships, "coming out of the closet" and family relations, career development process, stigma, and systematic collaboration. Each theme was taught by a different lecturer, who was selected based on their expertise. This was to make sure that the training program covered three areas of multicultural counseling competence (i.e., knowledge, attitude, and skills). The impact of the training program was evaluated by focus group interviews and the content analysis. The results showed that this training program had positive impact on participants’ competence to serve LGBT clients. The results indicated changes in three areas: knowledge, attitudes and skills. Participants reported more in-depth knowledge related to LGBT issues. They stated that they became more aware of their own explicit and implicit biases toward LGBT issues. They started to show changes of attitude, such as becoming more openminded, flexible, and courageous in terms of advocating for LGBT individuals. Participants indicated enhancement of their skills, such as active listing, empathy, information providing, systematic collaboration, utilization of different media in counseling, etc. The results also showed that multiple formats of discussions, perspective-taking, experiential activities and learning LGBT individuals’ personal experience were the key factors related to effective learning. The results have import implications for training and promoting LGBT counseling competence. It is suggested that deconstructing cultural encapsulation, contextual factors, and reflective learning are important elements. Students need to be aware of their own stereotypes of LGBT individuals and issues in order to deconstruct their habitual way of thinking. The training also needs to take students’ background and learning level into consideration. It seems to be more effective to utilize reflective learning method to help students develop and enhance their multicultural counseling competence. Those three elements are essential for educators to design and advocate for LGBT counseling competence training program in the future.