from Events/Announcements

November 7, 2007

Dr. Jo Linder-Crow, Executive Director
California Psychological Association
3835 North Freeway Blvd., Suite 240
Sacramento, CA 95834

Re: CPA signing onto APA Amicus Brief on Gay Marriage

Dear Dr. Linder-Crow,
        We are writing in response to your recent e-mail announcing that the California Psychological Association has signed onto an APA amicus brief recommending homosexual marriage to the California Supreme Court.
        The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality is gravely concerned to learn of this decision and the clinical and academic members who make up our organization would urge you to reconsider. All too often in recent years professional associations have allowed sound professional experience and scientific validation to be subject to political fiat.
        Once we abdicate our responsibility to uphold scientific standards as a basis for our policy pronouncements our scientific credibility and influence will be badly damaged. Taking political positions that cannot be supported by peer reviewed research undermines the public's faith in the profession of clinical psychology.
        In 1973, American Psychological Association President Leona Tyler enunciated the principal under which the organization would advocate in the name of psychology. This principle became APA policy. That policy established that as an organization, our advocacy should be based on scientific data and demonstrable professional experience. Absent such validation it should be left to individual psychologists to speak out on public policies. Violation of this principle erodes the credibility of the science and profession psychology represents.
        NARTH urges the California Psychological Association to withdraw its support of homosexual marriage and return to its historical role of advocating mental health policies based on fact and evidence before we become just another political organization shouting to be heard in the vast arena of public opinion.

Sincerely,

Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D.
President

Cc: Dr. Miguel Gallardo, CPA President
Pepperdine University

Updated: 8 February 2008

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