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Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
Accessing Counseling Services Where the Rainbow Doesn't Shine: A Heterosexism Audit Study
Richard Q Shin1, Lance C Smith2, Collin N Vernay1
1Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
Abstract:
Through a field experiment set among licensed therapists (N = 425), we found nuanced evidence of heterosexist discrimination at the entry point of mental health services for a fictitious White, presumably gay man seeking counseling. We called therapists in LGB-affirming and LGB-hostile states and left voicemails requesting services. To manipulate perceived sexual orientation, a confederate using the name "Jon" recorded one of three conditions (a) heterosexual-presenting Jon, (b) gay-presenting Jon, and (c) gay-sounding Jon. Analyzes comparing the rate of returned calls for each condition within LGB-affirming versus LGB-hostile states against our referent group, gay-presenting Jon calling mental health professionals in an LGB-affirming region, revealed a number of significant effects. Notably, being perceived as gay in LGB-hostile states significantly decreased the rate of returned calls, with the reverse being true in an LGB-affirming state. The use of "gay-sounding" voice, however, did not appreciably affect these relationships.
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