Received 07/20/09

Revised 12/13/09
Accepted 07/06/10

A Content Analysis of LGBTQ Qualitative

Research in Counseling:
A Ten-Year Review
Anneliese A. Singh and Kimber Shelton

B r h i s content analysis examines the qualitative methodology used in counseling research with lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) issues published over the last 10 years (1998-2008) in 4 counseling and counseling
psychology journals [Journal of Counseling & Development, Journal of Counseling Psychology, Journal of LGBT Issues
in Counseling, and Tfie Counseling Psychologist). LGBTQ qualitative investigations in counseling research continue to be
rare. Recommendations to increase the trustworthiness and scope of future LGBTQ counseling research are provided.

Although qualitative research with historically marginalized
groups has been encouraged within thefieldof counseling and
psychology (Carter & Morrow, 2007; Yeh & Inman, 2007),
qualitative examinations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
and queer (LGBTQ) issues in counseling continue to be rare
(Bieschke, Paul, & Blasko, 2007). There is a great disparity
between the number of LGBTO individuals seeking treatment
and the current published qualitative counseling research
concerning this population. LGBTQ individuals are frequent
consumers of mental health services (Bieschke, McClanahan,
Tozer, Grzegorek, & Park, 2007), using counseling at rates
2 to 4 times greater than their heterosexual counterparts (Bi-
eschke, McClanahan, et al., 2007; Haldeman, 2001; Liddle,
1996; Morgan, 1992). With such high rates of mental health
service usage, there is a need to have the deep structural un-
derstanding of LGBTQ issues in counseling that qualitative
inquiry provides.
Despite the progress the LGBTQ civil rights movement
has had in recent times, there are still serious consequences
for the estimated 5 to 25 million LGBTQ individuals in the
United States (AVERT, 2009; Gelberg & Chojnacki, 1995)
who are "out" about their sexual orientation or gender identity,
including hate crimes and potential loss ofjob and social sup-
ports (e.g., family, friends; Singh, 2010a). Therefore, there are
difficulties accessing readily available LGBTQ study samples
(Moradi, Mohr, Worthington, & Fassinger, 2009). The smaller
sample sizes of qualitative designs are an ideal fit to examine
LGBTQ issues, concems, and needs in counseling. Because
qualitative research designs seek an in-depth, rich understand-
ing participants have of a phenomenon, this methodology has
the ability to illuminate LGBTQ issues in counseling that may
otherwise be left misunderstood or ignored (Singh, 2010b).
Even though qualitative studies of LGBTQ issues are rare in
counseling, it is an ideal time to take an initial examination
of the quality of the empirical work thus far. It is important
not merely to encourage qualitative research but also to
promote rigorous standards of this methodology, especially
as it relates to LGBTQ counseling issues. The aims of this
article are to (a) review the focus of qualitative research
and its applications to LGBTQ research in counseling, (b)
provide a content analysis of the qualitative LGBTQ studies
over the last decade, and (c) generate suggestions for future
empirical work in this area.
•LGBTQ Issues in Counseling
and Psychology
Considering counseling's and psychology's historical abasement
of LGBTQ issues and the continuation of societal homophobia
and heterosexism, it is fair to suggest that mental health profes-
sionals, including researchers, may approach LGBTQ groups
and issues with some trepidation. The history of discrimination
and prejudice toward LGBTQ individuals includes pathologiz-
ing same-sex behavior and currently exists with the labeling
of gender variance as a mental disorder (American Psychiatric
Association, 2000; Lewes, 1988; McHenry & Johnson, 1993).
This discrimination and prejudice has continued within the
practice of counseling and psychology in the form of sexual
orientation change effort therapies (Bieschke, Paul, & Blasko,
2007; Exodus International, 2008; Haldeman, 1999, 2000,
2002; Spitzer, 2003). Research with LGBTQ individuals also
has a history of pathologizing this group. For instance, much of
early research with LGBTQ individuals used clinical and prison
samples to draw broad generalizations about LGBTQ persons
(Morin, 1977). With such a history, the absence of LGBTQ
issues in mainstream counseling and psychology is not only
important to understand, but the dearth of LGBTQ research
may also send an erroneous message that LGBTQ individuals
are not as worthy of study consideration as are heterosexual
clients (Greene, 2007).
In addition to a history of pathologizing LGBTQ indi-
viduals, there remain serious concems about the degree to

Anneiiese A. Singh and Kimber Sheiton, Department of Counseling and Human Deveiopment Services, The University of Georgia.
Kimber Shelton is now at Counseling Center, Georgia Institute ot Technology. Correspondence concerning this article should be
addressed to Anneliese A. Singh, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services, The University of Georgia, 402
Aderhold Hali, Athens, GA 30602-7124 (e-mail: asingh@uga.edu).

© 2011 by the American Counseling Association. Ail rights reserved.

Journal of Counseling & Development • Spring 2011 • Volume 89 217

which counselors and psychologists are trained to engage in
counseling and research with this group because they have
had little or no formal training on LGBTQ concerns. Even
with the increased number of multicultural courses offered
in graduate training departments (Ponterotto, 1996), doctoral
trainees and professional practitioners consistently report hav-
ing inadequate educational training in providing services to
LGBTQ clients (Bidell, Ragen, Broach, & Carrillo, 2007; Israel
& Hackett, 2004). Furthermore, although the United States
has shown a growing tolerance for LGBTO individuals and
sensitivity to LGBTQ issues (Butler, 2001 ), well-intentioned
mental health professionals are not immune to the continual
stigmatization of LGBTQ individuals within the counseling
context and the society at large.
There have been concerted efforts within professional orga-
nizations seeking to rectify the deficits in LGBTQ training of
counselors and psychologists. The continued development and
refinement of professional ethics codes, such as the American
Counseling Association (ACA; 2005) ACA Code of Ethics
and the American Psychological Association (APA; 2002)
Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, as
well as the development of standards of practice, such as the
APA (2000; APA Task Force, 2009) Therapeutic Responses
to Sexual Orientation policy statement and competencies
developed by the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC), demonstrates
a professional endeavor toward competence practice and
research on LGBTQ issues. However, there remains a need
in counseling and psychology to investigate and understand
counseling concerns for LGBTQ individuals, and qualitative
designs offer important methods to gain this understanding.
•Qualitative Research and LGBTQ Issues
in Counseling
In qualitative inquiry, researchers seek to understand the daily,
lived experiences of participants and often use small sample
sizes (Creswell, 2007; Elliott, Fischer, & Rennie, 1999).
Applying qualitative research methods to a LGBTQ sample,
therefore, translates to a focus that is not on generalizability
or obtaining a large sample size. Instead, qualitative inquiry
is concerned with gaining an in-depth, rich understanding of
LGBTQ participants' experiences of a phenomenon. For the
aforementioned reasons, scholars have noted that qualitative
approaches are useful research frameworks for understanding
LGBTQ individuals and communities because of the many
subgroups and diversity that exist within this group of indi-
viduals (Dowsett, 2007; Sears, 1992).
In addition to the focus of qualitative inquiry, it is important
to examine how and why the researcher selects a qualitative
research tradition to frame his or her study. Qualitative inquiry
in counseling has commonly used case study, grounded theory,
and phenomenological research designs when investigating
phenomena (Berrios & Lucca, 2006). Case studies provide
218 Journal of Counseling 0¿ Development • Spring 2011 • Volume 89
Singh & Shelton
the qualitative researcher with the ability to examine single
case or multiple cases that are bounded by time, place, and
other delineations (Stake, 2000; Yin, 2008). A case study ap-
proach could lend itself to studying counselor training in a
particular program or university over a year's time or examin-
ing training across several "cases" of counselor preparation
programs for various cohorts of students. Phenomenological
studies focus on the essence and meaning a phenomenon has
for participants (Moustakas, 1994). For instance, in seeking
to understand the essence of lived experiences of supervisees
who are queer people of color, a phenomenological approach
would be a good fit. Phenomenological approaches tend to be
appropriate when there is little scholarly work with a particular
phenomenon that exists. Grounded theory designs differ from
phenomenological approaches in that grounded theory inquiry
generates a theory of a phenomenon for participants (Corbin
& Strauss, 2008). Therefore, grounded theory approaches
are more appropriate when there has been a foundation of
empirical and conceptual work previously generated upon
which qualitative researchers can ground their analysis.
Grounded theory designs lend themselves to investigations of
LGBTQ bullying in schools or sexual and/or gender identity
development processes for LGBTQ people because there has
been substantive literature conducted in these areas. Other
qualitative inquiry approaches in counseling have included
consensual qualitative research, ethnography, and historical
investigations (Berrios & Lucca, 2006).
Each of these qualitative research traditions has unique
data-collection and analytic strategies that emerge from its par-
ticular philosophy, focus, and values (Creswell, 2007). There-
fore, it is particulariy imporiant that qualitative researchers
not only specifically describe the qualitative research tradition
they are using but also provide a detailed description of how
the selected tradition influences the data-collection and analy-
sis activities of a study (Hays & Singh, in press). Without this
description, it is challenging for the consumer of qualitative
research to determine the trustworthiness and credibility of
the study. Trustworthiness in qualitative research is the extent
to which verification standards have been used in empirical
studies (Schwandt, 2001; Yeh & Inman, 2007). Trustworthi-
ness and credibility are ideally built into each stage of the
qualitative research process, such as identifying researcher
bias, checking the accuracy of participant transcripts (member
checking), and continuously challenging one's own views of
the data collection and analysis (peer debriefing) among many
other verification strategies (Morrow, 2005).
Trustworthiness and credibility are standards of verifica-
tion in qualitative designs (Creswell, 2007) and essentially
provide a context for evaluating the quality within a study.
Researcher reflexivity has been considered a hallmark exem-
plar ofthe trustworthiness and credibility of a study (Corbin
& Strauss, 2008; Morrow, 2005; Patton, 2002). Other verifica-
tion methods used in qualitative inquiry are the use of epoché
(Moustakas, 1994), triangulation (Janesick, 1998), imagina-
Contenf Analysis of LGBTQ Qualifafive Research in Counseling
tive variation (Giorgi, 2006; Moustakas, 1994), maintaining
observational or case notes, and participant verification of
findings (Glaser, 1978).
The purpose of the current content analysis is to provide
an overarching review of the qualitative studies that have been
previously conducted with LGBTQ individuals over the past
decade to highlight the strengths and the growing edges of the
literature in this area. Scholars in qualitative designs in coun-
seling have identified important components for a rigorous
and strong qualitative study (Berrios & Lucca, 2006; Creswell,
Hanson, Clark Piano, & Morales, 2007; Morrow, 2005; Yeh
& Inman, 2007). We selected four of these components to
provide an analytical framework for the content analysis of
qualitative research with LGBTQ individuals over the past
decade: (a) focus and topic of research, (b) type of qualita-
tive research tradition reported (e.g., ethnography, grounded
theory), (c) data collection (e.g., sample size, demographics),
and (d) trustworthiness and credibility (e.g., evidenced by
researcher reflexivity).
•Method
Journals
Berrios and Lucca (2006) used two criteria in their content
analysis of qualitative studies in counseling research: se-
lecting four journals (a) that were diverse in terms of their
scope and (b) that also had a wide circulation (i.e.. Coun-
seling and Values, Journal of Counseling & Development
[JCD], Professional School Counseling, and The Counseling
Psychologist [TCP]). For the current content analysis, we
also used the two criteria articulated by Berrios and Lucca.
Therefore, we selected journals with a broad circulation and
a wide scope of diversity (i.e., accepted manuscripts with
a general, academic, or clinical focus). The journals fitting
these criteria were JCD, Journal ofCounseling Psychology
(JCP), Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling (JLGBTIC),
and TCP. Although Berrios and Lucca did not provide a
definition of a broad circulation in their content analysis, for
the current analysis, we defined broad circulation in terms
of the journal's status as a flagship journal of its associa-
tion or division. Furthermore, we defined diversity of scope
as a journal accepting academic, clinical, and specialized
submissions, in addition to a journal's goal of encourag-
ing multicultural research topics and qualitative research.
JCD is the flagship journal of ACA and publishes articles
that broadly address the interest of counselors and mental
health professionals. JCP is considered a leading journal in
counseling psychology and publishes theoretical, empirical,
and methodological manuscripts on topics relevant to the
field of counseling psychology and is particularly interested
in manuscripts related to diverse and underrepresented
populations. JLGBTIC is the official journal of ALGBTIC,
a division of ACA, and publishes articles that are uniquely
specific to LGBTQ issues in the field of counseling. TCP is
Journal of Counseling & Development • Spring 2011 • Volume 89
the official journal of APA Division 17 (Society ofCounsel-
ing Psychology) and publishes articles that address issues
specifically important to theory, research, and the practice
of counseling psychology, including manuscripts on special
populations.
Procedure
This study included LGBTQ-focused qualitative articles re-
ported in JCD, JCP JLGBTIC, and TCP from 1998 through
May of 2008. Consistent with content analyses of Berrios and
Lucca (2006) and Buboltz, Miller, and Williams (1999), we
first reviewed articles to determine if they had an empirical
focus or if they were in another publication category (e.g.,
book reviews, theoretical articles). For the present content
analysis, we included only empirical articles that were qualita-
tive in nature or used mixed method designs.
Berrios and Lucca (2006) identified three categories in
qualitative methodology in counseling research: (a) articles
that were concerned with development of interventions mod-
els, (b) articles that used preexisting treatment strategies, and
(c) articles that were purely empirical studies. We reviewed
the manuscripts across these three categories, in addition
to the categories previously described (i.e., focus and topic
of research, type of qualitative research tradition reported,
data-collection strategies, select participant demographics,
and researcher reflexivity). The final step of this content
analysis involved determining if articles were within one of
these categories.
Each author (in the current study) independently reviewed
printed manuscripts to obtain LGBTQ-specific qualitative
studies. A validity check was performed by using PsycINFO
using a combination of keywords: qualitative, gay, lesbian,
bisexual, transgender, homosexual, phenomenology, ground-
ed theory, content analysis, case study, thematic analysis,
consensual qualitative research, constant comparison, and
other related terms. The researchers used a table to record
the methodological procedures and categories previously
mentioned for each manuscript. The two authors met weekly
over a period of 4 months for 60 to 120 minutes to discuss
the procedures of this content analysis and to develop a con-
sensual agreement regarding the identified findings. The first
author, a counselor educator in a school counseling program,
self-identifies as a queer South Asian woman and primarily
uses qualitative and mixed method approaches in her research
with LGBTQ individuals from diverse backgrounds. Her
worldview and biases include an assumption that qualitative
research is a powerful means of inquiry for exploring the
multiple identities of LGBTQ individuals. The second author,
a clinician practicing in an urban university counseling center,
self-identifies as an African American heterosexual woman
and LGBTQ ally. Her interest in this topic stems from her
pursuit of social justice and a desire to improve the quality of
clinical services provided to historically marginalized groups.
The second author's worldview and biases include the belief
219

that counseling and counseling psychology professionals have
a responsibility to use research as a means to address issues of
disparity and discrimination and to also explore and promote
strengths and resiliency of marginalized groups.
•Results
Over the last decade (1998-2008), a total of 12 empirical
LGBTQ qualitative articles were published in the four selected
journals. JLGBTIC published the largest number of LGBTQ-
focused qualitative manuscripts (seven articles), whereas JCD
published three articles and TCP published two. We were un-
able tofindany LGBTQ-focused qualitative studies published
in JCP in this time period.
Table 1 summarizes the research topics, research tradition,
data-collection strategies, select participant demographics,
and content classification of the LGBTQ qualitative studies
examined in this content analysis. Manuscripts in this review
covered a broad range of LGBTQ topics: school and bullying,
conversion therapy, contemporary LGBTQ counseling issues,
death and grieving, substance use and recovery, spirituality,
intersection of racial and sexual identities, identity manage-
ment, parenting, and graduate mentoring relationships.
In terms of the research traditions, four studies used a
grounded theory or constant comparative approach (Beck-
stead & Morrow, 2004; Lark & Croteau, 1998; Lorah, 2008;
Mahan et al., 2007), one study used a consensual qualitative
approach (Gibson, Schlosser, & Brock-Murray, 2008), one
study used phenomenological methodology (Hunt, Matthews,
Milsom, & Lammel, 2006), and two studies used mixed
method approaches (Chung & Szymanski, 2007; Suprina,
2006). The remaining four studies did not list or use a specific
qualitative research tradition but did describe the processes
used to analyze data (McVannel Erwin, 2006; Varjas et al.,
2007; Wheeler-Scruggs, 2008; Whipple, 2006). However, the
manner in which the data analysis was explained was far from
uniform. For example, some studies provided specific details
of the research process so the reader could understand each
step of the data analysis, whereas other studies referenced
only generalities of the data analysis process. All studies used
human participants with the exception of one literary analysis
(McVannel Erwin, 2006).
The 11 qualitative studies with human participants ranged
in sample size from 10 to 50 individuals, with a total of 220
participants across the studies. Investigations primarily used
purposeful, convenience, and snowball methods to recruit
participants (Patton, 2002). Numerous descriptors and titles
were used to collect sample demographics about the sexual
identities of LGBTQ participants across the studies, includ-
ing participants self-identifying as lesbian, gay, heterosexual,
pansexual, sexual minorities, bisexual, predominantly homo-
sexual, exclusively homosexual, predominantly heterosexual,
exclusively heterosexual, and self-labeled. The specific num-
ber of participants within each descriptor or label cannot be
220 Journal of Counseling & Development • Spring 2011 • Volume 89
Singh & Shelfon
discussed because the articles did not delineate between the
sexual identities of individuals. For example. Lark and Croteau
(1998) described participants as 14 LGB individuals, but it is
not clear which participants self-identified as bisexual versus
gay or lesbian. The predominant gender and sexual identity
of participants were women and lesbians, respectively, with
approximately 62% of participants (137 women), whereas gay
males represented approximately 38% of the participants (83
men). Lark and Croteau included transgender people in the
content analysis search; however, transgender people were
absent or unidentified in all studies.
Empirical research in counseling has tended to underreport
the racial/ethnic composition of participant samples, in addition
to overutilizing White participants (Delgado-Romero, Galvan,
Maschino, & Rowland, 2005). The studies in this content analysis
mirror the trend of using large samples of White, well-educated
participants. However, 11 out of the 12 studies (92%) did report
the racial/ethnic composite of participants. Seventy percent of
participants self-identified as European American, White, or
Caucasian; 10% as Black, African American, or African; 5%
as Asian or Asian American, 2% as biracial or mulfiracial; 1%
as people of color; and >1% as Latino or Puerto Rican. Eleven
percent of participants did not identify their race/ethnicity. Only
two studies (Chung & Szymanksi, 2007; Gibson et al., 2008)
had a specific focus on the experience of LGB persons of color,
and none of the studies reported using international populations.
Interviewing was the primary means for data collection (eight
studies). Interviews varied according to the environment in which
they were conducted: face-to-face interviews, phone interviews,
and electronic interviews. Interviews also varied in the format
that was used: unstructured, semistructured, and structured in-
terviewing styles. Other methods of data collection comprised
using written statements, observation, focus groups, literary
content reviews, and a combination of data-collection methods.
Creswell (2007) listed a variety of analytic strategies re-
searchers may use in reducing qualitative data, for example,
including identifying themes in researcher field notes and par-
ticipant observations, seeking research participants' analysis
of data, using tables and diagrams to collapse qualitative data,
identifying codebooks to organize data analysis, counting the
frequency of codes, and connecting the analytic framework to
literature review of a phenomenon. Computerized programs
(e.g., Atlas/Ti, NUDIST) were also used in two of the studies'
data analysis (i.e., Mahan et al., 2007; Varjas et al., 2007).
Across the studies reviewed in this content analysis, there was
very little space in the manuscripts dedicated to explaining
the details of the data analysis steps.
One method of establishing trustworthiness or credibility
is through the use of researcher reflexivity (Morrow, 2005).
Seven of the articles included reñexive information regarding
the authors or the researchers, whereas five articles did not
use reflexivity to establish credibility. According to criteria
previously established by Berrios and Lucca (2006), three
categories of qualitative research exist within counseling
221

qualitative research: interventions, treatment, and pure empiri-
cal studies. Of the studies reviewed in this content analysis,
nine were pure empirical studies, three could be considered to
report the treatment experiences of individuals, and none of
the studies involved the development of intervention models.
•Discussion
The paucity of LGBTQ-focused qualitative inquiry in coun-
seling and psychology revealed in this content analysis must
not be ignored. One of the joumals we selected for review is
JCTThisjoumal's asserted focus on multicultural training and
interest in diverse and underrepresented populations included
no LGBTQ qualitative studies. Although JLGBTIC would be
expected to have the largest number of qualitative studies, the
low numbers of LGBTQ studies in prominent joumals remains
a challenge and demonstrates a lack of opportunity for the
profession's premier counseling joumals to lead on supporting
LGBTQ qualitative submissions. In addition, relying on the
12 articles published in the last 10 years, between four ACA
and APA joumals, challenges the extent to which the field of
counseling research can claim an in-depth understanding of
the lived experiences of LGBTQ individuals. Furthermore,
a substantial number of the LGBTQ qualitative studies ex-
amined in this review did not articulate a qualitative research
tradition or methodology and/or did not adequately describe
data analysis methods. This absence poses methodological
challenges for the knowledge base the counseling field does
have on LGBTQ topics in counseling and psychology.
LGBTQ qualitative research that does not build extensive
trustworthiness and credibility checks into the research design
has the potential to perpetuate oppression of LGBTQ indi-
viduals, in addition to not appearing scientifically rigorous.
Methodological ftaws or poor methodological explanations
in qualitative designs not only generate questions about the
trustworthiness and credibility of an LGBTQ study but, more
important, may also lead readers to question or misinterpret
the lived experiences or realities of the LGBTQ participants
in the study. Applying and describing a rigorous qualita-
tive research methodology can benefit LGBTQ qualitative
scholarship in two major ways. First, studies that concretely
and concisely articulate research traditions and data analysis
would allow readers to concentrate on the unique and rich de-
scriptors provided by LGBTQ participants. Second, although
future generalizability is not the aim of qualitative inquiry,
scientifically sound LGBTQ qualitative studies can promote
ftiture research that extends existing LGBTQ scholarship
based on this rigor.
An exemplar study that illustrates the previous points in
this content analysis is the Hunt et al. (2006) investigation.
The authors provided a clear and detailed methodological
description and used separate subheadings to report partici-
pant recruitment strategies, researcher reftexivity, participant
demographics, data collection, and data analysis. The authors'
\
222 Journal ofCounseling 6c Development • Spring 2011 • Volume 89
Singh & Shelton
clear description of methods and detailed demographics of
the research sample allowed readers to generate questions
such as, "How may I incorporate what this study reveals into
my own work with lesbians with disability?" and "How may
I build on this study by investigating lesbians of color with
disabilities?" Without the authors' rigorous methodological
description, a consumer of the article might be left wondering,
"Why were aspects of the data analysis missing?" "What was
the researcher's investment in this study?"—or worse—"Can
I tmst the methodological integrity of this study?"
Trustworthiness in LGBTQ Qualitative Counseling
Research
Investigators involved in rigorous qualitative research with
multicultural groups endeavor to view themselves as an
instrument in the research process (Morrow, Rakhsha, &
Castañeda, 2001). Qualitative inquiry describes the experi-
ences of those being studied; however, qualitative researchers
investigating LGBTQ issues in counseling and psychology
must also acknowledge their involvement in the constmction
of meaning and descriptors. The researcher's inftuence on
selecting research designs, constructing research questions,
and conducting analysis provides the opportunity for the re-
searcher to collaborate with participants as fellow researchers.
Only seven of the studies in the selected manuscripts included
reftexivity of the researchers. Of these seven studies, three
studies did not provide demographic information except for
the race/ethnicity and age of researchers. McVannel Erwin
(2006) provided an excellent example of researcher reftexivity
(or researcher-in-relation):
As the researcher, 1 approached this research as a middle-aged.
White, Appalachian, middle-class, hearing-impaired, sight-
impaired, fat-oppressed, lesbian, feminist, researcher, counselor,
and political activist with degenerative scoliosis who is on the
final leg of earning a doctor of philosophy degree in counseling.
This makes it impossible for me to assume a position of authority,
of having privileged access to authentic experience or appropri-
ate language to speak for all individuals who identify as lesbian.
My self-interested interpretation will be at once partial, multiple,
intersecting, contradictory, and predicated on the absence and
marginal ization of other voices, (p. 98)
Additionally, McVannel Erwin established trustworthiness
by describing the precautions taken to minimize threats to
trustworthiness in her description, interpretation, theory, and
researcher bias.
Recommendations for the Next Decade of LGBTQ
Counseling Research
On the basis of the findings of this content analysis, we provide
the following checklist to encourage vibrant and methodologi-
cally rigorous qualitative counseling research with LGBTQ
issues in counseling and psychology over the next decade.
Content Analysis of LGBTQ Qualitative Research in Counseling
Expand and build on previous qualitative LGBTQ studies.
The selected journals in this content analysis covered a broad
range of LGBTQ-related topics. This diversity of issues is a
contribution of the previous qualitative work with LGBTQ
persons and demonstrates an appreciation for diversity within
the LGBTQ community by qualitative researchers. This find-
ing also confirms that qualitative designs lend themselves to
the diverse issues LGBTQ individuals and communities face.
Investigate the experiences of LGBTQ persons of color.
Because LGBTQ individuals and communities of color
experience multiple levels of marginalization, qualitative
designs may be particularly suited to an understanding ofthe
counseling needs and concerns of these groups.
Use consistent reporting standards. Researchers and
counselors submitting qualitative publications on LGBTQ-
focused issues should follow best practice guidelines and set
standards in reporting their research (Kline, 2003). JCD has
established guidelines for researchers submitting qualitative
studies to their journal, which include detailed attention to
methodological rigor, attention to researcher bias, and trust-
worthiness checks (Choudhuri, Glauser, & Peregoy, 2004).
Identify and discuss researcher reflexivity. As stated earlier,
the inclusion of reflexivity in LGBTQ-focused qualitative
counseling inquiry informs the reader about who is conduct-
ing the study and analyzing the data. Along with reporting
researcher bias, the methods used to acknowledge and/or
reduce researcher subjectivity should be included.
Increase attention to research with transgender and bisexual
individuals. Existing qualitative studies have focused primarily
on lesbian women and gay males. Bisexual and transgender
women and men are underrepresented in counseling and psy-
chology literature (Firestein, 2007; Singh, Hays, & Watson,
2011). Increased qualitative designs with bisexual individuals
may improve counselors' understanding of their daily, lived
experiences and related implications on mental health.
Pmvide more training opportunities on qualitative research.
Some counselor training programs do not require or offer
qualitative course work and/or integrate qualitative research in
general course work, which is contradictory to the Council for
Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
(2009) Standaids' requirements for research and scholarship. Of
note, APA's (2007) Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation
of Programs in Professional Psychology do not provide specific
recommendations for training on qualitative inquiry. Berrios and
Lucca (2006) offered several suggestions for increasing qualita-
tive inquiry's contribution to counseling; requiring qualitative
course work in graduate study, emphasizing the importance of
qualitative study in training programs, and balancing the number
of qualitative and quantitative theses and dissertations in univer-
sity training programs. The inclusion of both LGBTQ issues and
qualitative inquiry in counselor training programs may increase
the productivity of LGBTQ qualitative inquiry.
Use the range ofdiverse qualitative methodologies to align
with the focus of an LGBTQ study. LGBTQ qualitative stud-
Journal of Counseling & Development • Spring 2011 • Volume 89
ies in this content analysis primarily used grounded theory
or constant comparative research traditions. Although there
is great value in studies operationalizing from this approach,
LGBTQ qualitative research can benefit from studies that
incorporate diverse research traditions. A complete review
of the various research traditions of qualitative inquiry is
outside the parameters of this article, but this information can
be found in counseling and counseling psychology literature
(see Ponterotto & Grieger, 2007; Yeh & Inman, 2007).
Investigate development ofLGBTQ interventions. The ma-
jority of manuscripts reviewed in this content analysis involved
purely empirical studies and did not explore the development
of interventions or the treatment experience of individuals. The
development and investigation of interventions is particularly
important with marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ
community, in which traditional interventions and treatments
tend to be developed and tested on heterosexual individuals.
Qualitative inquiry can be a means to understand the experi-
ences of LGBTQ participants in specific interventions and
provide evaluation components for these interventions.
Limitations
In this content analysis, we sought to describe and assess the
current landscape of qualitative research in counseling and
psychology with LGBTQ issues; however, several limitations
exist in this study. First, we limited this content analysis inves-
tigation to four ACA and APA journals. Therefore, significant
qualitative contributions published in other nonspecifically
counseling-related journals are missing from this review,
including specialty journals such as Journal of Homosexual-
ity, Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health, and Journal
ofBisexuality. A second limitation of this study was the use
of Berrios and Lucca's (2006) categorization of qualitative
manuscripts. Although Berrios and Lucca's methodology pro-
vided additional insight into the nature of LGBTQ qualitative
counseling research, we did not develop a new categorization
of LGBTQ research. Future content analyses in the area of
LGBTQ qualitative research could address these limitations
by selecting a larger sample ofjournals that includes LGBTQ
qualitative research, in addition to using this larger sample to
develop LGBTQ-specific coding schema related to LGBTQ
qualitative research.
•Conclusion
The findings of this content analysis underscore the early
nature of qualitative counseling and psychology research
with LGBTQ people and communities. The disadvantage
of premature qualitative development is the present lack of
in-depth understanding in the counseling research field with
regard to LGBTQ concerns and needs. The advantage in be-
ing at such an early stage of scholarship, however, provides
an opportunity to set standards and expectations for rigorous
qualitative designs that can provide detailed information about
researchers' methodological aims.
223

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