Using Social Cognitive Career Theory to Create Affirmative Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Research Training Environments

Historically, counseling psychologists have conducted relatively few empirical studies addressing lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues. Methodological challenges, heterosexism, and homophobia present particular challenges to facilitating such research. Moreover, research suggests that graduate students receive little or no training about conducting LGB research The authors examine social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackeu, 1994) to generate recommendations for creating research training environments that are affirming of LGB issues. Based on this model, suggestions are offered to influence several aspects of the research training environment: distal and proximal environmental influences, individual variables, students’ research self-efficacy beliefs, and students’ research outcome expectations. It is hoped that these recommendations will help to improve graduate training programs and to advance empirical knowledge about LGB issues in psychology.