Implementing digital self-guided mental health programs for LGBTQA+ people in Australia: barriers and recommendations from Australian healthcare providers
Australian Psychologist, Vol.Advanced access
10-Jun-2026
Objective
Little is known about healthcare providers’ (HCPs) experiences implementing digital self-guided mental health programs within their services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, asexual and other sexual, romantic and gender minority identities (LGBTQA+) people. This work aims to understand HCPs’ perceptions of barriers, facilitators and recommendations for implementing digital self-guided mental health programs within LGBTQA+ contexts.
Methods
An online survey was disseminated to HCPs with experience providing care to LGBTQA+ people in Australia. Data were analysed descriptively and using inductive qualitative conventional content analysis of open-ended items.
Results
The most common barrier to implementation revolved around client accessibility (47, 52.2%) – often described as the impact of technology access, living with a disability and having a safe place to complete programs. Facilitators of implementation often involved supporting integration into clinical care through training (49, 43.8%) and providing information on programs available (17, 15.2%).
Conclusion
Our results suggest that HCPs have few logistical barriers regarding the implementation of programs, but programs need to be carefully designed to be accessible and safe for LGBTQA+ end-users. These findings within an LGBTQA+ context mirror findings within other populations, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to maximise implementation alongside community-led program design.
- Implementing digital self-guided mental health programs for LGBTQA+ people in Australia: barriers and recommendations from Australian healthcare providers
- James A. Fowler (Corresponding Author) - The University of QueenslandLisa Buckley - University of the Sunshine CoastShelley Viskovich - The University of QueenslandMiranda Muir - The University of QueenslandJudith A. Dean - The University of Queensland
- Australian Psychologist, Vol.Advanced access
- Taylor & Francis
- 10.1080/00050067.2026.2683191
- 1742-9544
- © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
- Data may be made available to other researchers on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the authorship team.
- Road Safety Research Collaboration; School of Law and Society
- English
- 991241470002621
- Journal article
1