Transcript Chapter 2 - PowerPoint

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By Jerry V. Diller
Chapter 2
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What It Means To Be
Culturally Competent
Changing Population
Demographics in U.S.

Significant increase in non-white
populations, and significant decline in the
relative percentage of whites

Trend is referred to as the “diversification” of
America (Atkinson, Morten, and Sue, 1993)
Changing Population
Demographics in U.S.

Projections indicate that by 2050, the U.S.
will have a “majority minority”, meaning
non-Hispanic whites will make up less than
50% of the U.S. population

By 2010, seven states and the District of Columbia
already had a “majority minority” population

California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Hawaii,
and New Mexico
Factors Leading to
Demographic Changes
Unprecedented increases in immigration,
particularly from South and Central America
and Asia
 Comparatively higher birthrates within
Hispanic (1.7 times that of whites) and Asian
populations (3-7 times that of whites,
depending on subpopulation)

Reactions to Changing
Demographics in U.S.

Political backlash
Anti-immigrant sentiment and legislation
 Push to repeal affirmative action practices


Polarized society
Growth in number of white supremacist, militia,
and anti-government groups
 Frustration directed at non-white newcomers

Implications for Helping
Professions
A more culturally diverse client-base
 Bilingual and bicultural professionals
preferred
 A new conceptualization of effective helping,
with cultural competence at its center

Rules for Discussing
Race and Ethnicity

No name calling, labeling, or blaming one
another


Everyone has learned prejudice through society,
and now has an opportunity to do something
about their prejudicial attitudes
Whatever is said in the classroom is
confidential

This will prevent self-censure
Rules for Discussing
Race and Ethnicity
As much as possible, personalize the
discussion by speaking in the first person
and talking about your personal experiences
 Say what you believe, even though it may
lead to conflict


Whatever happens is a learning opportunity and
can shed light on the dynamics of intergroup
conflict
Frequent Concerns of
Students
“Why do so many immigrants to the United
States refuse to learn English?”
 “I envy people of color for all their culture
and togetherness. We tried practicing some
Native American ways, but that didn’t seem
exactly right. And besides, we were never
made to feel very welcome.”

Frequent Concerns of
Students
“I find it very difficult just getting by
financially. I don’t see where all this
privilege is.”
 “I always had a lot of Black and Latino
friends and never saw them as different.”

Frequent Concerns of
Students
“If I had a client of color, I’m not sure I
would know what to say or do.”
 “White people don’t get it. They just don’t
want to see, and no class is going to open
their eyes. What I’m not willing to do is be a
token person of color here.”

Cultural Competence and
Cognitive Changes
Ethnocentrism: Culturally diverse behavior
is understood in terms of comparison to
one’s own culture
 Ethnorelativism: Cultures are understood
within their own context; culturally diverse
behavior is not good or bad, only different
 Process of becoming culturally competent
transforms how people think, and prepares
them to work with culturally diverse clients

Supporting the Pursuit of
Cultural Competency

Self-honesty:
Hiding from our negative feelings about race,
ethnicity, and cultural differences keeps us in the
dark
 It is important to engage critically with the
concepts

Supporting the Pursuit of
Cultural Competency

Sustained commitment:
Cultural competence is a developmental process
that takes time
 There are multiple stages of growth, and this
course is just the beginning

Cross et al. (1989) Model
for Cultural Competence
For use in a system, agency, or group of
professionals
 Includes common values and assumptions
about service delivery for clients of color

Cross et al. (1989) Model
for Cultural Competence

Some duties of a culturally competent care
system include:
Culture is a predominant force that shapes
behavior
 Family, as defined by the clients’ culture, is an
indispensable component of understanding the
individual and should be used as the primary
point of intervention
 Clients may see maintaining the dignity of their
people as a way of maintaining their own dignity

Continuum of Cultural
Competence in Agencies

Cultural destructiveness: Agencies whose
practices are actively destructive to clients
and their culture

Ex.: Historical denial of access to traditional
helpers or healers for people of color
Continuum of Cultural
Competence in Agencies

Cultural incapacity: Agencies whose
practices are not intentionally destructive,
but who demonstrate a lack of experience or
capacity to help people of color and their
communities
These agencies unintentionally perpetuate
societal biases
 Ex.: Providers who hold lower expectations for
clients of color.

Continuum of Cultural
Competence in Agencies

Cultural blindness: Agencies who attempt
to be unbiased by asserting that race and
culture make no difference in how service is
provided, applying a dominant cultural
approach to all

Ex.: Providers who encourage assimilation
and/or participate in victim blame.
Continuum of Cultural
Competence in Agencies

Cultural pre-competence: Agencies who
recognize problems serving diverse clients,
but do not know how to improve despite
genuine desire
These agencies tend to focus on single ethnic
populations and succumb to tokenism in hiring
practices.
 Ex.: Agencies that overestimate the cultural
competence of one or two providers of color.

Continuum of Cultural
Competence in Agencies

Basic cultural competence: Agencies who
understand what skills are required to
become culturally competent, and who are
honest in their shortcomings

Ex.: Agencies who hire unbiased staff, utilize
consultation with communities of color, and
assess who they are realistically prepared to
serve.
Continuum of Cultural
Competence in Agencies

Cultural proficiency: Agencies who, in
addition to demonstrating the characteristics
of basic cultural competence, advocate
broadly for multiculturalism and participate
in related research

Ex.: Agencies who advocate for multiculturalism
throughout the healthcare system.
Individual Cultural
Competence Skill Areas

Awareness and acceptance: Understanding
cultural differences (e.g., values,
communication style, perceptions of time,
community, health) and how they manifest
themselves
The acceptance of differing realities without
comparison or judgment
 Ex.: Movement from accepting to valuing
differences and actively using differences in the
helping process.

Individual Cultural
Competence Skill Areas

Self-awareness: Understanding the ways
one’s own culture impacts behavior, and
understanding when and how one’s own
cultural boundaries create conflict
This can be particularly difficult for white
providers whose sense of culture is absent
 Ex.: Knowing when one’s own cultural limits are
likely to be pushed, foreseeing and
accommodating for possible areas of conflict or
tension

Individual Cultural
Competence Skill Areas

Dynamics of difference: Understanding the
dynamics between two cultures and when
cultural miscommunication is creating
conflict

Ex.: Miscommunication because of prior
experience with members of the others’ group,
and miscommunication because of the political
relations between the respective groups.
Individual Cultural
Competence Skill Areas

Knowledge of client’s culture:
Familiarization with client’s culture in order
to understand his or her behavior in a
cultural context

Ex.: Knowledge of meaningful symbols,
definitions of health, and the configuration of
support systems.
Individual Cultural
Competence Skill Areas

Adaptation of skills: Ability to adjust
generic helping practices to accommodate
cultural differences

Ex.: Adapting treatment goals, interaction styles,
family involvement, time and place of meeting,
and treatment topics
Characteristics of Culturally
Skilled Counselors
Understand own worldviews and how their
views are reflected in their work and
interactions with racial and ethnic minorities
 Understand, appreciate, and share the
worldviews of culturally diverse clients
 Define goals and use methods consistent
with the experiences and cultural values of
the clients

Three Dimensions of
Professional Standards

Counselor awareness of client’s worldview

Attitudes and beliefs


Counselors are aware of their negative and positive
emotional reactions to culturally different clients that
may negatively impact the counseling relationship
Knowledge

Counselors possess specific knowledge and information
about the specific cultural group with which they are
working
Three Dimensions of
Professional Standards

Counselor awareness of client’s worldview

Skills

Counselors familiarize themselves with relevant
research and the latest findings regarding mental health
in various ethnic and racial groups
Three Dimensions of
Professional Standards

Counselor awareness of own cultural values
and biases

Attitudes and beliefs


Counselors are aware of how their own cultural
background and experiences, attitudes, values, and
biases influence psychological processes
Knowledge

Counselors possess knowledge and understanding
about how oppression, racism, discrimination, and
stereotyping affect them personally and in their work
Three Dimensions of
Professional Standards

Counselor awareness of own cultural values
and biases

Skills

Counselors seek out educational, consultative, and
training experiences to improve their understanding
and effectiveness in working with culturally different
populations
Three Dimensions of
Professional Standards

Culturally-appropriate intervention skills

Attitude and beliefs


Counselors respect indigenous helping practices and
respect help-giving networks among communities of
color
Knowledge

Counselors are aware of institutional barriers that
prevent minorities from using mental health services
Three Dimensions of
Professional Standards

Culturally-appropriate intervention skills

Skills

Counselors exercise institutional skills on behalf of their
clients, helping clients to determine whether a
“problem” stems from racism or bias in others
CSHSE National Standards

Includes three standards which address
cultural competency requirements:

Standard 10: Mandates the requirement of
curriculum that incorporates knowledge and
theories of the interaction of human systems and
has an emphasis on context and the role of
diversity in meeting human needs.
CSHSE National Standards

Includes three standards which address
cultural competency requirements:

Standard 17: Mandates curriculum that
incorporates and promotes an understanding of
human services ethnics and their application in
practice; promotes the recognition of worth and
uniqueness of individuals, including ethnicity,
culture, gender, sexual orientation, age, learning
style, ability, and socioeconomic status.
CSHSE National Standards

Includes three standards which address
cultural competency requirements:

Standard 18: Mandates that programs provide
students experiences and support to develop
awareness of their values, and that students
demonstrate awareness of diversity.
APA Professional
Standards

The 2002 Ethics Code of the APA included a
section (2.01) which requires acquisition of
diversity-related knowledge
APA Professional
Standards

“Guidelines on Multicultural Education,
Training, Research, and Organizational
Change for Psychologists” (2003) specified a
broad range of professional development
activities:
Recognition of the psychologist’s own cultural
beliefs and attitudes and their influences.
 Recognition of the importance of multicultural
sensitivity

APA Professional
Standards

“Guidelines on Multicultural Education,
Training, Research, and Organizational
Change for Psychologists” (2003) specified a
broad range of professional development
activities:
Inclusion of issues of multiculturalism and
diversity in psychological education and research
 Support culturally informed policies and
practices within organizations and agencies

Fisher’s 3 Related Processes
of Multicultural Competence
Multicultural Ethical Commitment:
Includes desire to understand how culture
interacts with the resolution of ethical
problems, and a commitment to applying
APA Ethics Code within a cultural context
 Multicultural Ethical Awareness: Includes
obtaining requisite knowledge of cultural
differences and how they may effect the
expression and solution of ethical problems

Fisher’s 3 Related Processes
of Multicultural Competence

Goodness-of-fit ethics and multicultural
ethical decision making: Includes
understanding that culturally-based ethical
decisions are always unique and have
multiple variables (e.g., individual
differences, environment, goals), requiring
each decision-making process to be adjusted
in order to ensure fit