Research finds alternative anxiety, depression treatment for LGBTQ individuals shows results

LAWRENCE — Not everyone experiencing depression and anxiety can access professional therapy. Whether they cannot afford it, lack insurance or have other barriers in their way, not having access can be especially challenging to LGBTQ individuals. New research from the University of Kansas has found that an alternative, peer-facilitated approach to addressing anxiety and depression shows promising results.

Briana McGeough, assistant professor of social welfare at KU, led evaluation of tools contained in “LGBTQI Workbook for CBT” by Erik Schott, a text designed to help guide individuals through tools of cognitive behavioral therapy. The team of researchers recruited a sample of 17 LGBTQ individuals who have experienced anxiety and/or depression, worked through the book’s tools and evaluated their effectiveness.

“I’m interested in how mental health resources and treatments connect with people in alternate ways. That’s what led me to evaluating this workbook,” McGeough said. “It draws from evidence-based principles but had never been evaluated. It feels like potentially a good way to be helpful to LGBTQ folks struggling with mental health issues.”

Study participants took part in six sessions. They also took part in pre-assessment, post-assessment and post-session surveys, rating their satisfaction with the tools and their approaches on a zero to 4 scale. Their depression and anxiety symptoms were measured with PHQ-8 and GAD-7 tools, respectively.

“We saw statistically significant reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms,” McGeough said. “Given the size of the change, it was encouraging. In terms of satisfaction, people reported being very satisfied with the tools.”

Tools from the workbook largely focus on stresses that underrepresented populations face such as discrimination or internalized shame that can result in anxiety or depression. For example, one tool addresses situations such as being fired from a job for being LGBTQ. In addition to potentially utilizing legal protections, it may be helpful for mental health to manage emotions related to the situation, such as shame or worthlessness, with strategies like meditation, talking with a friend or considering companies in their profession that are more accepting of LGBTQ people. 

The tool also helps individuals consider emergency planning so they can stay safe from situations ranging from self-harm to external violence.

McGeough presented the findings at the Society for Social Work Research conference in January in Seattle and plans to publish articles detailing the research later. In the future, she said research could be expanded to test the workbook and its approaches with a larger research sample and to see if its approaches to substance use are also helpful. 

McGeough has previously published research on alternate, secular treatment programs for alcohol and substance use such as SMART Recovery and their effectiveness with LGBTQ individuals, who are disproportionately affected by those issues, as well as anxiety and depression.

The peer-supported approach to mental health services or even a self-help approach is not meant to replace traditional therapy, McGeough said, but as books such as “LGBTQI Workbook for CBT” are already in use, it is vital to understand if they are effective, especially as many people are not able to access traditional mental health care for a variety of reasons.

“This research supports the idea that laypeople can contribute to addressing mental health challenges, especially for LGBTQ folks, outside of traditional therapy, and this study helps us to begin to figure out what specific tools are helpful,” McGeough said.