The history of reorientation therapy

Abstract

Most scientists today agree that sexual orientation is most likely the result of a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive, and biological factors. In past decades in the United States there has been a big discourse as to the necessity and effectiveness of same-sex attraction change. Researchers disagree on whether same-sex attraction can be changed. Position statements of the major mental health organizations state that there is not enough scientific evidence to support the reorientation therapy. In addition, there is some evidence to indicate that some individuals experienced harm or believed they had been harmed by these interventions. The aim of this article is to give a historic overview of the reorientation therapies, to review the efficacy of the therapies, motivations for seeking therapy, arguments for and against the therapy, and to overview the actual mainstream organizations’ statements. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 931–939.