Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for a Male with Depression Following Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders, often causing serious impairments in social, occupational, and relational functioning. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown to be an effective treatment for depression; however, little research has considered its effectiveness with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, despite the reality that LGB individuals typically report higher rates of depression when compared with those who report opposite sex attraction. Affirmative CBT, a treatment that considers the unique experience of LGB individuals and seeks to develop all aspects of LGB identity, has been suggested as useful in treating those who identify as LGB, despite minimal research evidence regarding its effectiveness. The current case study presents the implementation of affirmative CBT for a gay male suffering from depression as the result of overt discrimination in the workplace. Treatment consisted of 10 sessions over 4 months, with outcome data yielding significant reductions in depressive symptoms at the end of treatment. This case study demonstrates the potential utility of affirmative CBT for depression in sexual minorities and highlights the need for further research and randomized controlled trials.