Emerging issues in contemporary research and practice

Psychology

Emerging Issues in Multicultural Psychology

It is apparent that the old rules in psychology have moved away from a monocultural to a multicultural basis and that these new rules recognize both an appreciation of differences as well as an understanding of the inherent ambiguity and complexity in psychological practice. One issue is the sensitivity to the impact of cultural, disability and diversity factors on the competence of a psychologist. Psychologists should not have to provide services when they lack needed knowledge and when scientific or professional knowledge has established that a certain understanding of age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status is essential in order for effective services to be delivered. It is evident that the necessary sensitivity required to provide psychological services to diverse populations is grounded in ethical thinking that takes into account multiple world views and identities and requires ongoing education, formal training, and supervised experience (Manesse, Saito and Rodolfa, n.d.)

It is thought that multiculturally competent practice involves the application of psychological skills that integrate a focus on the client based on their cultural background, using culturally appropriate assessment tools that have a broad range of interventions. Multicultural competence involves the dimensions of awareness of one's own attitudes and beliefs, knowledge about cultural differences and skills in working with diverse groups. Multicultural knowledge involves learning and seeking information about the cultures, world-views and experiences of different groups of people. Psychologists must have knowledge about the heritage, history, family structure, values, and beliefs of diverse groups. Psychologists must also have accurate information about institutional barriers, sociopolitical contexts, oppression and discrimination (Manesse, Saito and Rodolfa, n.d.)

In order to develop multicultural counseling skills, psychologists must use their self-awareness as well as their knowledge of specific cultures to develop culturally sensitive and appropriate interpersonal behaviors and interventions. Psychologists must expand and model a wide-ranging repertoire of behaviors and skills that are flexible and appropriate for clients from diverse groups. Psychologists must also model flexibility in utilizing both traditional and nontraditional assessment and intervention techniques. The development of these skills in working with diverse clients involves enhancing ones ability to recognize cultural issues, increasing their abilities to deal with clients in ways that are flexible and sensitive, and increasing their abilities to deal with their own reactions to clients. The bridge to the development of these skills is cultural self-exploration and awareness (Manesse, Saito and Rodolfa, n.d.)

Another issue that has arisen in multicultural psychology is the fact that the residents of the United States are racially and ethnically diverse, and that research participants, students, clients and the labor force are increasingly likely to come from these diverse cultures. Additionally, instructors of psychologists, psychological researchers, educators, and those providing psychological service who are implementing organizational change are encouraged to gain skills to work effectively with individuals and groups of varying cultural backgrounds. This premise is based on psychologists' ethical values to be capable to work with a variety of populations, to respect others' rights, to be concerned to not harm others and to contribute to social justice (Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists- American Psychological Association, 2002).

The ideas of multiculturalism and diversity are often used interchangeably to include the aspects of identity coming from gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or age. Multiculturalism identifies the wide scope of dimensions of race, religious orientation, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, disability, gender, age, class status, education and other cultural dimensions. These are all serious features of an individual's ethnic and personal identity, and psychologists are optimistic to be aware of issues related to all of these dimensions of culture. In addition, each cultural aspect has distinctive issues and concerns. Each individual belongs to or identifies with a number of identities and some of those identities interact with each other. In order to efficiently help clients, to effectively train students, to be most effective as agents of change and as scientists, psychologists have to be familiar with issues of these multiple identities within and between individuals (Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists- American Psychological Association, 2002).