Less than half of rainbow youth in New Zealand have encountered a mental health professional who is knowledgeable about sexuality and gender diversity, a new study shows.
By Christina Huang
Researchers at Victoria University of Wellington surveyed more than 950 people aged 14 to 24 in “the first study of mental health support experiences among rainbow rangatahi in Aotearoa New Zealand”.
Clinical psychologist Gloria Fraser, who co-authored the study, told 1News that the findings were “sad” but not surprising.
“We know that rainbow young people experience mental health problems at a higher rate than their non-rainbow peers.”
The survey also found that only half of participants reported encountering mental health professionals who were “mostly or extremely helpful".
“When rainbow young people can’t access quality mental health care, it widens those gaps, and it also reduces hope for future therapy and intervention," she said.
The researchers highlighted the need for mental health professionals to seek training so the burden does not fall on their clients to educate them.
“It's important to have a really positive experience so that they are more likely to seek support in the future if they need it again," Fraser said.
Some key recommendations in the study included incorporating rainbow cultural competence training into mental health professional training programmes and requiring ongoing professional development in this area.
Tabby Besley, a spokesperson for rainbow youth charity InsideOUT, told 1News "it would have a huge impact when people can access that competency training".
"It just means that they can provide more safe and inclusive services," Besley said.
"For many young people, it can make such a difference having a counsellor that can just meet them where they're at and provide that basic sort of respect and understanding."
SHARE ME