The Maltese Psychological Association urged psychologists to take the lead in combating the stigma attached to homosexuality.
It said psychologists needed to strive to understand the ways in which this stigma may lead towards the creation of prejudices, discrimination and violence that poses a risk to the well-being and mental health of homosexuals.
The association said all mental health professionals were ethically bound to respect the values, beliefs, opinions and sexual orientation of their clients even when these differ from the professionals' personal beliefs and values.