Transgender-specific factors related to healthcare professional students’ engagement in affirmative practice with LGBTQ+ clients

ABSTRACT Transgender individuals face many barriers to healthcare access, including providers’ lack of knowledge on transgender-specific healthcare needs. Physicians and medical students report a lack of training on and low confidence with transgender-related healthcare. Previous research has demonstrated the importance of self-efficacy and beliefs regarding affirmative practice for counsellors’ engagement in affirmative practice with LGBTQ+ clients. The present study investigated healthcare professional students’ attitudes towards transgender individuals, as well as the influence of students’ skills in working with transgender clients and their confidence understanding transgender healthcare terms on their beliefs about, self-efficacy regarding, and actual engagement in affirmative practice. Sixty-one Canadian healthcare professional students participated in an online survey. Participants reported positive attitudes towards transgender individuals, and positive beliefs about the importance of affirmative practice with LGBTQ+ clients. In a multiple mediation model, confidence with understanding transgender healthcare terms and practical skills with working with transgender clients each related to self-efficacy regarding affirmative practice; self-efficacy in turn related to engagement in affirmative practice. Healthcare professional students’ positive attitudes and beliefs are promising; additional training that builds practical skills and confidence in using correct language is important for students’ self-efficacy and engagement in affirmative practice.