title: Law and psychiatry: regulating psychotherapy or restricting freedom of speech? California's ban on sexual orientation change efforts.
abstract: California's new law banning sexual orientation change efforts by licensed therapists for patients under 18 immediately provoked court challenges. Therapists, parents, and patients argued that the statute infringed constitutional rights to freedom of speech and parental rights to select treatments for their children. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected all of these claims in a unanimous decision upholding the law. However, the decision evokes concerns that other forms of psychotherapy could be subject to similar regulation. Tort remedies may provide less intrusive means for discouraging use of ineffective and potentially harmful therapies.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Appelbaum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002140:California; D005610:Freedom; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*