Sexual Attraction and Religious Therapists: Survey Findings and Implications

Five hundred Christian therapists returned surveys describing their beliefs and behaviors regarding sexual attraction and sexual expression toward their clients. Four groups of Christian therapists responded: psychologists, licensed therapists, nonlicensed therapists, and lay counselors. Christian therapists' responses are compared with those from a similar survey of 456 psychologists selected without regard to religious values. Most groups of Christian therapists are less likely than previously surveyed psychologists to report sexual attraction and fantasy toward clients, but the differences between Christian psychologists and other psychologists are minimal. Religious factors that may increase the stigma of admitting sexual attraction are considered.