What about the anxiety?
The March "CE Corner" presents ethical considerations in the case of Mr. Muñoz, a self-identified heterosexual male with some unwanted same-sex thoughts. The article offers suggestions about issues that often arise when working with individuals struggling with sexual orientation concerns. However, the article did not adequately address Mr. Muñoz' anxiety, which could reflect two similar but distinct clinical presentations: sexual orientation obsessions as a part of obsessive-compulsive disorder (SOOCD), and sexual orientation rumination (SOR) that occurs in response to minority stress. In heterosexual individuals, those with SOOCD experience ego-dystonic thoughts characterized by the fear that they are gay or will become gay, will no longer be able to engage in heterosexual relationships and/or will experience negative reactions from others. In contrast, sexual orientation rumination includes ego-syntonic worry about one's sexual orientation, preoccupation with others' reactions, perseveration, as well as positive reflection on identity. For accurate (and therefore ethical) case conceptualization, clinicians should consider the SOOCD and SOR differential as a context for weighing therapeutic options.
Alexandria M. Luxon, Towson University, second-year student
Gregory S. Chasson, PhD, Illinois Institute of Technology
Monnica T. Williams, PhD, University of Connecticut
M. Paz Galupo, PhD, Towson University
Microaggressions
After reading "Did you really just say that?" (January), I think it is counterproductive to suggest that a person should be blunt if they do not care about the microaggressor—it seems to me that the microaggressor is likely to lose the potential educational value of the moment because of a confrontation. I would like to see more emphasis on the bystander effect. Many people do not feel comfortable speaking up or do not do so in hopes that another person will. This was not discussed in the article, yet it is a pivotal part of breaking that cycle of silence.
LaVarius Harris
Counseling Psychology Student, Auburn University
Clarification
The March article "(Dis)connected" should have added that Nancy A. Cheever, PhD, was the first author of the study "Out of sight is not out of mind: The impact of restricting wireless mobile device use on anxiety levels among low, moderate and high users" in Computers in Human Behavior, 2014.
Please send letters to APA Monitor on Psychology Editor Sara Martin at smartin@apa.org. Letters should be limited to 175 words and may be edited for space and clarity.
