Cultural Competency in Psychology

Cultural competency has become an important issue today as America becomes increasingly culturally diverse as it is one of the leading destinations of migrants seeking a better quality of life from developing countries. As a result, different schools of psychology have become more and more aware of the essence of cultural competency in therapy. Evidence from research studies conducted from the 1990s onwards indicates that members of ethnic minorities are the least likely to access and utilize mental health services (Jones-Smith, 2013). This has contributed to lower outcomes among ethnic minorities. Consequently, an increasing number of psychologists are recognizing and embracing cultural competency to improve therapeutic outcomes for the ethnic minorities by creating an inclusive and welcoming environment.

Personal Biases

            No individual is immune from bias including therapists. Personal biases and inherent prejudices undermine a therapist’s ability to provide impartial and inclusive therapeutic treatment to minorities. Therefore, therapist bias refers to an attitude, perception, emotion, belief, or idea that undermines the therapist’s capacity to relate to their clients as a whole (Mark M. Leach, 2013). Inherent biases create the tendency or likelihood of marginalizing aspects of the individual’s experience. If left unchecked and unresolved, inherit therapeutic biases can adversely affect the client by replicating the bias and the stigma that they experience in the outside world. It may also trigger internalized oppression as well as exacerbate a decline in the individual’s self-esteem (Holstein, 2019). On the other hand, recognizing personal bias can be an important reflection that enables the client and the therapist to reflect on the experience. It helps to lighten and deepen as well as transform the relationship and connection between the therapist and the client.

            Therapist bias takes many forms, especially with regard to the client’s gender, sexuality, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, physical ability, and religion. In this context, therapist bias ranges from confusing polyamory with infidelity to misinformed perceptions about BDSM to others up to perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs (Cornish, 2010). Therefore, it is essential for a therapist to learn from it and establish strategies to work with it to transform their practice. As America’s population becomes increasingly culturally diverse, it is essential for a therapist or psychologist to identify and recognize a variety of spiritual and religious practices as well as sexuality, gender, erotic orientation, and relationship constellations presented by the clients they serve. In addition, physically identifiable characteristics of their religion and ethnic origin should not undermine therapeutic practice (Parsons & Zhang, 2014). Therefore, the ability to identify, understand, and transform therapeutic bias is essential to creating an inclusive environment for diverse clients.

Individualistic vs Collectivist Culture

            Culture is one of the factors that can have a significant impact or influence on how people behave and think. It is an important factor for psychologists to understand by identifying and understanding the similarities and differences between individualistic cultures and collectivist culture. Holstein (2019) defines individualistic cultures as those that emphasize the needs of an individual over the needs of a group as a collective unit. Individuals brought up in such cultures are often encouraged to be autonomous and independent. As such, their behavior and thinking reflect autonomy and independence that a therapist should recognize and embrace to provide tailored options for the individual. Cultures in Western Europe and North America tend to be individualistic, thus it is essential to articulate autonomy in therapeutic practice when dealing with individuals from these cultures (Cornish, 2010). Therefore, Western Europe and Northern American clients require therapeutic approaches that foster independence of thought and action. In this context, the individual’s needs are the focal point of the implemented therapeutic approach. Thus, it is essential to avoid making suggestions that may be considered embarrassing or shameful. The focus should always be to emphasize the uniqueness of the individual by prioritizing the individual’s rights.

            Meanwhile, collectivistic cultures emphasize the essence of social cooperation. People brought up in collectivistic cultures are encouraged to prioritize the needs of the intra-groups they belong to such as friends and family. Therefore, there is no shame in seeking support from friends and families during difficult times. Prioritizing the needs of the group necessitates the members of the collective culture to make sacrifices to create group cohesion and harmony. As such, what is considered good for the whole takes precedence over what is good for the individual. Leach and Aten (2013) noted people brought up in collectivist cultures have no sense of independence separate from the society they belong to. Asian and Middle Eastern cultures are emblematic of collectivism. Therefore, it is essential for a therapist to understand and embrace a collective approach to therapeutic practice. The focus should be on therapeutic options and alternatives that encourage interdependency.

Practical Approach

            Articulation of individualistic cultures and collectivistic cultures in therapeutic practice requires understanding the key differences. While individualist cultures encourage independence, autonomy, self-sufficiency, and uniqueness, collectivistic cultures emphasize interdependence, dependability, generosity, and attentiveness to the needs of others (Holstein, 2019). Therefore, family and close friends should be included in therapeutic practices that are tailored to meet the needs of clients from collectivistic cultures. It will encourage the individual to turn to their friends and family for support during difficult times.

On the other hand, therapeutic approaches developed for people from individualistic cultures should emphasize the need to accomplish or solve problems without relying on assistance from other people (Leach & Aten, 2013). The objective is to encourage the individual to leverage personal capabilities to overcome setbacks in life. Emphasis on personal autonomy and identity is a pervasive part of an individualistic culture that has a profound influence on how members of society think and behave. For instance, employees in an individualistic culture are most likely to prioritize their own well-being over that of the group or the organization. In contrast, employees in a collective culture are more likely to make sacrifices for the greater good of the group. Such innate differences have profound influences on every aspect of behavior ranging from the choice of career to consumer behavior. Parsons and Zhang (2014) revealed that individualistic and collectivist approaches to aspects of life also permeate healthcare. Individualistic cultures emphasize the importance of each person taking care of his or her self without depending on others for assistance.

Meanwhile, those in collectivist cultures are encouraged to share the burden with those close to them, especially friends and family. Individuals brought up in an individualistic society have profound self-concepts that are more focused on achieving independence rather than interdependence. As such, individuals tend to perceive themselves in a unique way and describe themselves using personal characteristics. It is contrary to individuals from collectivist societies who perceive themselves as part of a larger group whose cardinal objective is to ensure social harmony.

            Individualized therapeutic treatments and services achieve improved outcomes for individuals from individualistic cultures. The plans are personalized to meet the implicit needs of the clients to improve the effectiveness of the therapeutic approach. In most cases, the targeted care plan meets the psychological, physical, and emotional needs of the clients. A holistic approach ensures the patients’ perspectives and personality as well as bio-psycho-social factors are articulated in the treatment plan. Cornish (2010) argues that individualized care helps to provide a holistic, person-based approach that matches the implicit needs of clients in individualistic societies. Individualized care is based on the recognition that the outward presentation of dysfunction and addiction suppresses the aspirations, experiences, and expectations of the person As such, individualized care taps into the unique personal characteristics as a source of tremendous resilience, strength, and character.

            Group therapy is often recommended for individuals from collectivist cultures as it involves one or more therapists working with several people at the same time. It is a widely used therapeutic approach in Asian countries, particularly Japan, China, and Singapore. Asian countries are synonymous with public yoga classes that attract hundreds of people every morning and evening to relieve the stress of daily routine as well as socialize (Holstein, 2019). It has contributed to the overall improvement of health outcomes of the members of these societies as evidenced by a high life expectancy for both males and females as compared to Western countries. Group participation makes it a perfect therapeutic approach for mental health clinics, hospitals, and community centers. It helps to instill hope because the members are at different stages of the treatment process. Seeing and hearing the experiences of people who are recovering or copying gives hope to those beginning the recovery process (Jones-Smith, 2013). In addition, being part of a therapeutic group create a sense of universality because there is evidence of other people experiencing the same health problem. Besides creating a sense of universality, group therapies are effective in imparting information because group members can share information with each other. It also provides a support system for individuals experiencing the same health issue (Jones-Smith, 2013). The participants also are exposed to opportunities to develop socialization techniques as well as imitate positive behavior.         

Cultural Influence

The role of psychology today is growing in significance as a result of the changing global demographics. It is becoming increasingly hard to find homogeneous cultures akin to the medieval era when cultural boundaries were easier to define. The increasing movement of people in search of better education, health, and employment opportunities is contributing to the increasing cultural diversity of popular destinations such as North America (Parsons & Zhang, 2014). In addition, the 20^th and 21^st centuries are synonymous with increasing recognition of human rights of previously marginalized groups coupled with increased calls for the integration of these rights in all facets of the society.

The Human Rights Movement has contributed to increasing awareness and recognition of inherent differences related to ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, physical ability, religion, and sexual orientation. As a result, cultural competency has become an important skill for psychologists. It broadens the psychologist’s perspectives on the client’s ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, physical ability, and sexual orientation by eliminating inherent biases and prejudices (Jones-Smith, 2013). It informs the therapeutic approaches deployed to address the mental health issues of a culturally diverse clientele. Psychologists are encouraged to make adjustments to establish inclusive therapeutic approaches and techniques to create a welcoming environment for a culturally diverse clientele. Efforts should be made to eliminate limiting factors that may undermine the health outcomes of the clients owing to their socioeconomic status, ethnicity, physical ability, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.

Conclusion

The increasing cultural diversity of American society necessitates culturally-inclined psychological approaches to addressing mental health issues that have become increasingly common in recent years. Besides creating awareness of the need to recognize and embrace cultural diversity in all aspects of the society, efforts should be made to establish inclusive therapeutic approaches to address the growing mental health issues of an increasingly culturally diverse American society. Psychologists should be encouraged to acquire cultural competency training to broaden their perspectives on the client’s ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, physical ability, and sexual orientation by eliminating inherent biases and prejudices.

References

Cornish, J. A. (2010). Handbook of multicultural counseling competencies. London: Wiley.

Holstein, J. (2019). Cultural Competence for Health Professionals: Instrument Development. Linköping: Linköping University Electronic Press.

Jones-Smith, E. (2013). Strengths-Based Therapy: Connecting Theory, Practice, and Skills. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Leach, M. M., & Aten, J. D. (2013). Culture and the Therapeutic Process: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals. New York: Taylor & Francis.

Parsons, R. D., & Zhang, N. (2014). Counseling theory: guiding reflective practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.