561 Multicultural Terms

Question 1

Acculturation

Answer 1

Explains the process of cultural and psychological change by which groups or individuals integrate the

• social and cultural values, ideas, beliefs, and behavioral patterns of their culture of origin with those of the majority culture.
• Ideally, individuals will carefully and gradually pick and choose what they accept from the mainstream culture.
• Acculturation can lead to conflicts within families. Acculturative stress refers to the psychological, somatic, and social difficulties that may accompany acculturation processes, often manifesting in anxiety, depression and other forms of mental and physical maladaptation.

Ex: The Martinez family comes into counseling with acculturation concerns; they have recently immigrated into the US, and they feel their children are abandoning their culture by embracing the American culture so quickly.
-The counselor begins by explaining that it is normal for children to acculturate faster than adults, and that quick acculturation is necessary for children in school who must learn to cope in a new culture.

Question 2

Assimilation

Answer 2

• process that occurs when groups or individuals adopt the cultural norms of a dominant or host culture, over their culture of origin.
• Full assimilation occurs when new members of a society are absorbed into the mainstream culture and become indistinguishable from members of the majority culture.
• Assimilation is typically viewed as a negative process, while acculturation is a more positive process.

Ex:An Indian middle-aged female presents to counseling with sever anxiety and depression. Six months ago the client was compelled to move to the US and live with her son after her husband was killed in a job related accident.
-She is not only experiencing grief from the loss of her husband, but she is struggling with the transition from her previous life in India to living in the US with her son, who has married an American. She wants to continue living with her traditional Indian values, traditions and beliefs, but her son has assimilated to the White American culture. The culturally competent therapist is able to help the patient begin to slowly acculturate into the new culture and relieve her anxiety and depression.

Question 3

Bicultural

Answer 3

-refers to individuals who are able to
adopt the cultural norms of the dominant culture while maintaining their culture of origin.
-a bicultural individual can understand and function effectively in two different cultures because they are equally committed to both cultures.
-In the US, biculturalism can be difficult to maintain because there is pressure from the majority’s culture to assimilate completely.

Stephanie, the daughter of Filipino immigrants, was born in the US. After visiting the Philippines with her family she decided to seek therapy. She is upset that she couldn’t speak Tagalog and that she felt uncomfortable in the Filipino community. She is struggling with the realization that she has given up many aspects of her family’s native culture. The culturally competent therapist will help her become bicultural, by exploring ways in which Stephanie can successfully navigate the Filipino culture.

Question 4

Collectivism

Answer 4

• Refers to a type of social organization which stresses the importance of a group or majority, rather than the individual.The needs and interests of individuals may be sacrificed in order to meet the needs of the group as a whole.
• Asian, African, and South American societies tend to be collectivist, whereas Western societies place more value on individualism. When treating a client from a collectivist culture, it is important that a therapist not promote one’s own individualistic values.

EX:Susan comes to therapy because she is experiencing a significant amount of anxiety. Her parents (who are Asian-American) are aging and would like to move in with her. This is something Susan would like, but her friends are pressuring her to put them in a nursing home so that she can remain independent.
The therapist understands that Susan comes from a collectivist culture in which the needs of the family are more important than those of the individual; the therapist helps Susan within that context.

Question 5

Coming Out Process

Answer 5

For the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community, coming out is a process of understanding, accepting, and valuing one’s sexual orientation/identity.

• Coming out includes both exploring one’s identity and sharing that identity with others. It also involves coping with societal responses and attitudes toward LGBT people.
• Coming out is a continuous, sometimes lifelong process. It can be an emotional and frequently painful process, especially since the individual can lose a great deal of social support from the most important people in their lives.
• A therapist may need to be able to aid in helping the client find new social support systems.

Ex:A 20 year old male was seeking therapy due to extreme anxiety about his sexual orientation. He explained to the therapist that his family would never accept him if they found out he was homosexual, but that he had to tell someone. The therapist offered specific help and preparation in determining how the coming out process should be accomplished. He role played and discussed possible consequences to relieve some of the patient’s anxiety.

Question 6

Cultural Competence

Answer 6

• the ability of a therapist to be aware of their own cultural assumptions, values, and biases,
• to understand the worldview of their culturally diverse clients,
• and to develop culturally appropriate intervention strategies and techniques for their culturally diverse clients.
• In addition, therapists have a responsibility to attempt to change any institutional, organizational, and societal policies that are discriminatory. -Cultural competence is not something that can be learned one time, but is instead a lifelong process in which therapists must remain continually engaged.

EX: Iva is a therapist who is practicing in a strongly Asian-American dominated neighborhood.
-She attends a conference on working with Asian-Americans in order to understand how to help her clients in the context of their culture, thereby increasing her cultural competence.

Question 7

Cultural Relativism

Answer 7

Anthropological principle that suggests that a person’s beliefs and activities must be interpreted in terms of his or her own culture.

• cultural values and worldviews influence the expression and determination of deviant behavior.
• In some cultures, it is more acceptable to express psychological complaints in physical terms. In other cultures, it is not considered abnormal to experience hallucinations.
• Therapists cannot assume the Western concept of normality and abnormality is universal.
• EX: Pat, Hispanic woman came to therapy complaining of frequent headaches and backaches. In the course of treatment, the therapist discerned that her aches and pains were manifestations of her anxiety about her parents. The therapist came from a perspective of cultural relativism and understood that this was a valid way of expressing that anxiety.

Question 8

Cultural Universality

Answer 8

In contrast to cultural relativism, this is an anthropological principle that suggests that the concepts of normality and abnormality can be universally applied and defined, regardless of the culture.

• The origin, process, and manifestation of psychological disorders and abnormal behavior are equally applicable across all cultures.
• Proponents of cultural universality believe that culturally diverse individuals do not need to have their treatment strategies modified to fit within a cultural context. The majority of current standards of practice assume cultural universality.

ex:A couple comes to treatment seeking marriage counseling. The counselor, who came from a culturally universal perspective, uses a traditional approach to therapy and treatment. The therapist doesn’t take into account the couple’s Indian heritage and how their arranged marriage may impact aspects of treatment.

Question 9

Culture Bound

Answer 9

The idea that certain attitudes, practices, or behaviors are tied to a specific group of people and their values and beliefs.

• Certain syndromes and disorders may be unique to a particular culture, as well as certain treatments.
• When labeling bx as abnormal or normal, a counselor must be certain to consider the cultural context. He must be aware of disorders that occur only in specific cultures.

Ex: Tom an Asian-American came to therapy bc he was having anxiety that his penis may recede into his body and kill him. The therapist recognized this to be a culture bound syndrome known as koro and referred Tom to a specialist.

Question 10

Culture

Answer 10

• the values, beliefs, and practices of a group of people, shared through symbols, and passed down from generation to generation.
• Those who share culture often have a shared history and a shared ethnicity.
• has a significant influence on one’s sense of identity, and to understand the client’s internal frame of reference the counselor must understand their culture.

EX: The therapist felt frustrated because Joe never made eye contact with her during the appointment. She did not understand that in Joe’s culture, avoiding eye contact is a way of showing respect.

Question 11

Ethnicity

Answer 11

• a social categorization that refers to an individual’s unique cultural heritage and social characteristics. Ethnicity relates to cultural factors such as nationality, race, ancestry, language and beliefs and deals with shared cultural traits and a shared group history.
• It is important to consider ethnicity because the cultural values and beliefs of the client may differ from those of the therapist.

EX: the Rodriguez family came to therapy because the father was hearing voices and sounds no one else heard. The therapist talked about the father’s problems in front of the entire family, using the son to translate. Hispanic communities follow a hierarchical structure and believe in a core value of “respeto” or respect. The therapist failed to consider that the family’s ethnicity (Latino) would commonly frown upon the son taking on role of authority over his father.

Question 12

Ethnocentrism

Answer 12

• is the belief that one’s culture or ethnicity is superior.
• An ethnocentric individual will judge other groups relative to his or her own particular ethnic group or culture, especially with concern to language, behavior, customs, and religion.
• Ethnocentrism is problematic a when the dominant culture attempts to assimilate all other cultures into it, as has been the case in the Western world.
• The therapist must be careful not to perpetuate any ethnocentrism in their practice.

EX: Pat, a 30 year old Asian American, lives with her parents in order to care for them. Her therapist encourages her to move out in order to establish her own individual identity apart from her parents. The therapist is practicing from an ethnocentric perspective by pushing a collectivist person towards individualism. (A Eurocentric value)

Question 13

Filial piety

Answer 13

In Confucian philosophy, this is a virtue of respect for one’s parents and ancestors; children should be good to one’s parents; to take care of one’s parents. -Children are expected to strive for family goals and to not engage in behaviors that would bring dishonor to the family.
-Therapists must take this into consideration when counseling Asian Americans, who are more likely to put their parents’ needs and wishes above their own in a way that would be considered dysfunctional in a Western family which favors individualism.

EX: Lily, the daughter of Chinese-American immigrants,went into medical school because her parents wanted her to honor the family by becoming a doctor. The therapist understood that choosing medical school was Lily’s way of expressing filial piety and did not reflect dysfunction.

Question 14

Minority

Answer 14

• a group of individuals who differ from the dominant and majority culture in one or more ways, including but not limited to
• culture, race, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnic background.
• A member of a minority often experiences disadvantages and oppression by the dominant group, especially in a monocultural society.
• A minority group member may have unique experiences, and the therapist must be open to learning about them.

EX: An African-American male client would not make eye contact when the therapist would talk and was not participating in much self-disclosure. The white therapist was unaware of the cultural differences among minorities and and construed his behavior as resistant and counterproductive. In reality, many African Americans avoid eye contact to show respect, and use more eye contact when talking, and less eye contact when listening.

Question 15

Culture Shock

Answer 15

• anxiety, stress, and/or confusion that an individual experiences as a result of being suddenly thrust into a strange and unfamiliar culture.
• The degree to which an individual experiences culture shock depends on a number of factors including:
• the preparations an individual made for the transition,
• the current support system in the new area,
• and whether an individual speaks the language of the new culture.

EX: Elena, an Iraqi woman, seeks help at a local mental health clinic after moving quite suddenly to the United States. She is experiencing intense anxiety about living in a new place, a common symptom of culture shock.

Question 16

Multicultural Counseling

Answer 16

• in the context of psychotherapies, multicultural counselling is a type of therapy which takes into account both racial and ethnic diversities of the client, further taking into consideration their sexual orientation, spirituality, ability and any disabilities, social class and economics, and the potential for any cultural bias by the practitioner.
• counselor uses modalities and defines goals consistent with the life experiences and cultural values of the client.

Ex;When Susan was treating her Asian-American client, she was careful when they were defining goals that she did not impose her individualistic values on her client, who took more of a collectivist perspective. This was consistent with Susan’s practice of multicultural counseling.

Question 17

Multicultural perspective

Answer 17

1. -states all behavior is learned and occurs in a cultural context; each person is a product of culture.
2. Counselors need to be aware of how their own cultural background and experiences, attitudes, and values and biases influence psychological processes.
3. counselors should be able to recognize the limits of their competencies and expertise and seek out educational, consultative, and training experiences to enrich their understanding and effectiveness in working with culturally different populations.
4. A therapist should be able to understand the worldview and culture of the client so that treatment and diagnoses are relevant and beneficial.

Ex: The therapist firmly believed in the multicultural perspective in counseling; he often sharpened his skills by attending various training and seminars that helped him increase his knowledge of multicultural issues in the community.
Viewing behavior through a multicultural perspective allowed him to empathize with the pain, anguish, mistrust, and sense of betrayal suffered by many of his minority clients. He was effective in adapting eurocentric interventions to meet the needs of his culturally diverse clients.

Question 18

Oppression

Answer 18

• Oppression is the act of a dominant force using its power to systematically control, marginalize, silence, and subjugate a rival force.
• Racial oppression, in particular can severely injure an individual’s self-concept and a groups collective consciousness.
• Cultural oppression may occur without the oppressor realizing it; in light of this, the therapist must take steps to be very aware of any ways they may be oppressive to culturally diverse clients.
• An example of oppression in America would be the enslavement of the Blacks and the forced placement of Native Americans onto reservations, often resulting in deplorable living conditions.
• Minorities in this country face continued oppression by being excluded from the same opportunities afforded to whites in the areas of employment, health care, and education.

EX:Marvin is a young gay male coming to therapy for depression. He explains the constant oppression he has suffered at school, at his part-time job, and even in his family.

• he is being bullied and taunted at school.
• He has been both physically and verbally attacked by his peers.
• When he first came out, he lost his job at the book store because the owner didn’t approve of his “lifestyle.”
• He feels as though he is being bombarded daily with negative stereotypes of homosexuality from the media, family and friends, and religion.
• He now believes that he is powerless and weak, and that something is truly wrong with him.
• The therapist will help him deal with internalized oppression and move towards developing a positive identity.

Question 19

Pluralism

Answer 19

Cultural pluralism is a term used when smaller groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, and their values and practices are accepted by the wider culture provided they are consistent with the laws and values of the wider society.

• Cultural pluralism is often confused with Multiculturalism. Multiculturalism lacks the requirement for a dominant culture.
• A successful pluralistic society will place strong expectations of integration on its members rather than expectations of assimilation.
• The pluralistic therapist can hold personal beliefs while appreciating those of a client with different beliefs. The pluralist recognizes that cultural value differences can and will exist between counselors and clients without adversely affecting therapy.”

EX:Cultural pluralism seeks to overcome racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination.When treating a Native American client, the pluralistic therapist made sure that her own Christian faith did not hinder her from working with a Shaman. She was open and didn’t impose her own beliefs on the Shaman.

Question 20

Race

Answer 20

A race is a group of people thought to share certain distinctive physical characteristics, such as facial structure or skin color.

• Racial characteristics are thought to be biologically inherited (unlike ethnic characteristics, which are cultural).
• No race is inherently superior to another race.
• It is important that the therapist be aware of specific issues that people of different races face so that the most effective treatment can be applied

Ex: The therapist was aware that the Black and African American race has historically suffered oppression. The therapist made sure to keep this in mind when an African American client presented with unresolved anger.

Question 21

Racism-individual, institutional, cultural *

Ex?

Answer 21

– practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior, or superior.

• Racism can be manifested at the individual, institutional, and cultural level.
• Individual racism occurs when beliefs attitudes, and actions of an individual supports or perpetuates racism.
• Institutional racism involves policies, practices, or procedures that have a negative effect on racial minorities’ access to quality goods, services, or opportunities.
• cultural- societal beliefs and customs that promote the assumption that the products of a given culture, including the language and traditions of that culture are superior to those of other cultures.Cultural racism exists when there is a widespread acceptance of stereotypes concerning different ethnic or racial groups.
• Racism today is more likely to be covert than overt.
• It is important for therapists to analyze their own negative stereotypes and deal with any prejudices held against a particular race.

Ex: The African American client held a negative self-image and was dealing with anger. She described examples of institutional, individual, and cultural racism. She has on numerous occasions been the victim of discrimination while shopping. She has had clerks approach her suspiciously and search her for stolen goods. She lives in a predominately black, low SES neighborhood and does not have access to healthy food, or appropriate health care. The therapist was able to empathize with the client, and was aware of issues of racism. She was then able to help the client deal with her negative self-image and anger.

Question 22

White Privilege *

Answer 22

• a system of invisible advantages that White people inherit and that non-White people in the same circumstances do not inherit.
• White privilege is not the same as racism; frequently the people who benefit from white privilege are unaware and do not identify as racist or prejudiced.
• People who are White do not have to worry that their race may be a factor when they apply for a job, credit card, or a loan. ex:while shopping in a store, I will not be watched for fear of shoplifting.
• If the therapist is white, he or she must be aware of these inherited privileges instead of denying their existence.

EX: A client of color is complaining that he cannot land a job. He feels that even though he is qualified, he is being turned down for jobs because of his skin color. He also states that every interviewer has been white. The therapist was unfamiliar with the idea of “white privilege,” and dismissed the client’s concerns as being valid or appropriate. This hindered the therapeutic relationship.

Question 23

Worldview * example

Answer 23

• a set of assumptions about reality that have powerful influences on one’s thoughts and behavior.
• It is the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. It his highly influenced by a person’s cultural upbringing and life experiences.
• It is important for a therapist to be able to
• Different cultures frequently have different worldviews, which can influence the interaction between the therapist and the client
• It is important for the therapist to conceptualize a client’s worldview, and to avoid imposing one’s own values on the client.
• An appreciation of worldviews can help counselors better understand themselves and their clients. It makes values, beliefs, and assumptions explicit and can facilitate the agreement on treatment goals and processes appropriate to the client. It is therefore important to assess the client’s worldview during the initial screening process, and to tailor the counseling approach to be congruent with the worldview of the client. Persons are inclined to prefer and respond more favorably to a counseling approach that is congruent with their cultural and philosophical orientations.

-A female client comes in dealing with issues of low self-esteem. After speaking with the client, the counselor realized the client had a fundamental Christian worldview. She believed that God no longer loved her and that she wasn’t attractive to anyone. Although the therapist had no religious affiliation, she was able to form a treatment regimen that catered to the client. She started by exploring way in which she could help the client see that she was lovable in God’s eyes.

-

Question 24

Counseling Issues- African American *

Answer 24

d

Question 25

Counseling Issues- Native American *

Answer 25

d

Question 26

Counseling Issues-Hispanic/Latino *

Answer 26

d

Question 27

Counseling Issues- GLBT *

Answer 27

d

Question 28

Counseling Issues-Asian Clients *

Answer 28

d

Question 29

Counseling Issues-Arab Clients *

Answer 29

d

Question 30

Counseling Issues-Disabled CLients *

Answer 30

d

Question 31

Counseling Issues- Women *

Answer 31

d

Question 32

Cross’s model of Racial Identity

Answer 32

– this is a five stage model of nigrescence, the process of becoming black; it describes how African American individuals move from a White frame of reference to a positive Black frame of reference.
1. Pre-encounter stage-the African American individual devalues their own “blackness” and endorses Eurocentric notions of blackness; there is a strong desire to assimilate into white culture.

2. Encounter stage -This stage contains two steps: experiencing the encounter (a crisis or event), and personalizing the encounter (leading them to challenge previous held beliefs about society.) The person may experience a considerable amount of guilt, shame, anxiety and depression.
3. Immersion-emersion- sees the Black person withdrawing completely from the dominant culture and embracing African American culture wholeheartedly.

In the fourth stage and fifth stages, internalization and internalization-commitment, the individual has accepted positive aspects of both the dominant culture and their African American culture, and is committed to social change and civil rights.

It is important for a therapist to be aware of the different emotions and conflicts and individual may experience in each stage; the therapist can then point the client in a direction that will help the client through the process.

EX: Marshall was court-ordered to therapy after vandalizing a widely-known racist shop in his hometown. The therapist recognized that Marshall was experiencing the immersion-emersion stage of Cross’ nigrescence model, and encouraged Marshall towards less destructive ways of expressing his passion for his African-American heritage.

Question 33

Nigrescence model

Answer 33

-The most widely known model of
African American ethnic identity is Cross’ (1971a, b) model of Nigrescence.
-The Nigrescence
model describes the profile of African Americans in relation to the majority White culture and
the various phrases of their ethnic identity development.
-Nigrescence is the process of becoming black.
-The Nigrescence model has five stages of Black racial identity development:
-(1) Preencounter, in which an individual rejects one’s own culture and accepts the norms of White
society;
-(2) Encounter, where events occur that open an individual’s eyes to one’s own culture
and the way it has been oppressed; (
-3) Immersion-Emersion, where individuals immerse
themselves in African American culture and reject the dominant White culture;
-(4) Internalization, where individuals accept their African heritage, while also accepting the
traditions, beliefs, and values of other cultures; and (5) Internalization-Commitment,
characterized by positive self-esteem, ideological flexibility and openness to one’s Blackness just
as in stage four.
-The difference between stage four and stage five is that individuals find
activities and commitments to express their identity

EX: Marshall was court-ordered to therapy after vandalizing a widely-known racist shop in his hometown. The therapist recognized that Marshall was experiencing the immersion-emersion stage of Cross’ nigrescence model, and encouraged Marshall towards less destructive ways of expressing his passion for his African-American heritage.

Question 34

Racial Identity Development Model *

Answer 34

1. Atkinson, Morten, and Sue’s Racial and Cultural Identity Development: Five Stage Model (1979,1989, 1993, 1998):

Served as foundation for the variety of racial and ethnic identity development models to follow.

-Conformity: One identifies with white culture, learns and assumes stereotypes and has no inkling to identify or learn about their own racial or ethnic heritage.
-Dissonance-the individual begins to question their beliefs from the previous stage Encounter is the catalyst for one to question white culture and begin an interest in one’s own racial or ethnic group
Resistance and Immersion
Individual withdrawals from white culture to delve into his or her own racial or ethnic exploration in the effort to define a new identity.
Introspection
Individual actively seeks to integrate the redefined identity into the dominant culture without compromising aspects of his or her own racial or ethnic identity
Synergistic Articulation and Awareness
Optimum identity; Individual is able to identify as he or she wishes, appreciate other cultures including the dominant culture and balance all aspects of his or her heritage.
Atkinson et al.’s model served to be the primary model of all of the racial identity theories. The model conceptualizes the basic progressions an individual goes through when defining his or her racial identity. Although there are many models that have followed this premier, student affairs professionals can still facilitate conversations about race through this model, especially when a group is compromised of mixed races.

Question 35

Minority Identity development model (MID)

Need ex

Answer 35

• model developed by Atkinson, Morten, and Sue, that provides a conceptual framework to help counselors understand their culturally diverse clients. (5 stages)
• 1) In the conformity stage, the minority individual conforms to the dominant culture and devalues their culture of origin.
  
  • 2) In the dissonance stage, the individual begins to challenge the accepted values and beliefs of the dominant culture.
• 3) Resistance and immersion, the individual will actively reject the dominant culture and completely endorse minority-held views. His or her distrust and hatred of white society becomes strong.
• 4.) introspection- the reactive anger at White society shifts into a proactive attempt at forming a positive self-identity. The individual begins to question their wholehearted acceptance of their culture’s values
• 5)Synergetic Articulation & Awareness- marks a positive attitude toward their own culture, appreciation of other minorities, and selective acceptance of the dominant culture.EX: An Asian-American client came in to see Julia. It became apparent that being a member of a minority was highly salient to the client, so Julia began to assess the client to see what stage of the minority identity development model the client might be in and how the therapist could help her in that stage. Julia determined that the client was just moving out of the resistance/immersion stage and was beginning to question her previous wholehearted acceptance of all of her culture’s values. Julia assisted the client in determining what aspects of her culture she wanted to adhere to and which aspects of the dominant culture she might find more helpful.

Question 36

Resistance stage of MID *

Answer 36

*

Question 37

Immersion stage of MID *

Answer 37

• The third stage of the minority identity development model in which Individuals reject all non-minority values and fully immerse themselves in the minority culture. Individuals also blindly endorse their own group and all the values/attitudes attributed to the group.
• The individual completely rejects and moves away from all dominant culture values in this stage, and may feel guilty and angry for being brainwashed by the dominant culture.
• It is important for a therapist to be able to determine how much that individual identifies with their culture of origin.
• In addition, a person who, through personal experience or family belief systems, distrusts the culture to which the counselor belongs, will bring a much different dynamic to the counseling session.

EX: Rosa was referred to therapy by her boss for what he termed “rebellious and defiant behavior”. Rosa was a Hispanic worker who had begun refusing to speak any language but Spanish. She also refused to have anything to do with activities that were not related to her culture. She even initially refused to see the therapist after she found out the therapist was white. The therapist recognized that she was in the immersion stage of the minority identity development model, and felt it best to allow her to explore her anger in group therapy.