Barbara Hooks, MA, and Karen Davison, PsyD, Present at National Transgender Health Summit

Barbara Hooks, MA, a fourth year student, and Adjunct Faculty member Karen Davison, PsyD, presented Ms. Hooks dissertation research on transgender mental health treatment at the recent 2015 National Transgender Health Summit. The study explored "Mental Health Treatment Satisfaction and Best Practice Adherence: Does Clinician Adherence to Trans-Affirmative Best Practices Matter?" Sponsored by the UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, the Summit was held at the Oakland Marriott City Center on April 17, 2015.

The study found a strong correlation between mental health treatment satisfaction and clinician adherence to trans-affirmative best practices. An online survey of 149 transgender or gender nonconforming adults from the U.S. completed the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, as well as questions evaluating clinician best practices, access to gender specialists, and demographics. Additional findings include that participants treated by gender specialists were more satisfied with treatment than participants seen by non-specialists.

One-hundred eighty-nine mental health treatment experiences were reported as part of the study and 50.3% of the providers were not gender-specialists and 49.7% of providers were gender-specialists.

Based on the results of the study, Hooks and Davison recommended that all mental health providers have a foundational knowledge of transgender affirmative best practices in order to provide culturally competent services.