NARTH

The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) is a non-profit organization dedicated to "affirming a complementary, male-female model of gender and sexuality". It was founded in 1992 by Charles Socarides, Benjamin Kaufman, and Joseph Nicolosi and is part of the ex-gay movement that advocates using reparative therapy to change the sexuality of lesbians and gay men. It can be differentiated from other such organizations because the arguments it advances are primarily based in psychiatry, not religious belief. The group maintains that homosexuality is a psychological disorder, contrary to the official position of the American Psychological Association (APA) whom removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders in 1972 and condemned all attempts at reparative therapy, whether voluntary or coerced, for patients exhibiting same-gender behavior.

The reparative therapies endorsed and used by NARTH are no longer endorsed by many professional mental health organizations, such as the American Psychiatric Association, American Counseling Association, National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers. Other health care associations have also condemned reparative therapy including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American School Health Association. Professional organizations of educators have also added their voice opposing this therapy, such as the American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association.

NARTH was the first organization that publicitly criticized Rind, Tromovitch and Bauserman "A meta-analytic examination of assumed properties of child sexual abuse (CSA) using college samples" article in December 1998 for its methodology and conclusions opening a circle of criticism that would culminate to the resolution of the United States House of Representatives which condemned the scientific study. Despite the effective debunking of these criticisms by Rind, Tromovitch and Bauserman (2001), NARTH continues to criticize Rind et al. (1998) even though the critics admit themselves that "do not feel sufficiently proficient in that area"[1]

References

Rind, B., Tromovitch, Ph., & Bauserman, R. (2001). "The Validity and Appropriateness of Methods, Analyses, and Conclusions," Psychological Bulletin 127: 734-758.