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Groundbreaking Research On Sexual Orientation Change to be Presented at APA Convention

Toronto, Canada --Psychologists Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse will announce today at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association the newest results from their groundbreaking longitudinal study of a sample of men and women seeking religiously-mediated sexual orientation change through involvement in a variety of Christian ministries affiliated with Exodus International.

The study is a rigorous study of a large and representative sample of people seeking to undergo change in sexual orientation via religiously-mediated means through Exodus ministries groups. The study assessed the sexual orientations and psychological distress levels of 98 individuals seeking sexual orientation change early in the change process, and then followed them longitudinally with multiple assessments, using standardized measures of sexual orientation and of emotional distress.

Jones and Yarhouse reported previously on the three year outcomes of the study. That prior study found, at the three year mark, that roughly one-third of those still in the study considered their outcomes a success, and roughly half of those reporting success experienced success in the form of successful "conversion" to heterosexual orientation and functioning, while the other half of the successes reported behavioral chastity and dis-identification with homosexual orientation.  Another one third of the study's subjects at three years had experienced some change and was continuing in the change process, while the remaining third had either returned to a full embrace of gay identity or had simply given up on change.  There was no evidence on average that involvement in the change process was harmful.

This new report extends the findings out to between six and seven years for the subjects in the study. 

The study suggests that since change seems possible for some, then all should respect the integrity and autonomy of persons seeking to change their sexual orientation for moral, religious, or other reasons, just as we respect those who for similar reasons desire to affirm and embrace their sexual orientation. This requires that space be created in religious and professional circles for individuals to seek sexual orientation change with full information about their options and the potential risks of such attempts.

This study does not prove that everyone or anyone can change, but rather that some can. It does not prove that no one is harmed by the attempt to change, but rather that on average the attempt does not appear to be harmful.

Please go to ivpress.com/media after 9:00 am on August 9, 2009 to read the Jones and Yarhouse paper.