Chapter 4 – Cultural Issues in Clinical Psychology

I. U.S. Ethnicity
A. European Americans (62%) percentage decreasing
B. Latinos (18%) percentage increasing
C. African Americans (13%) percentage increasing
D. Asian Americans (5%) percentage increasing
E. American Indians (1%) percentage stable

II. APA Divisions Focused on Culture
A. Div. 35 – Society for the Psychology of Women
B. Div. 36 – Psychology of Religion
C. Div. 44 – Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues
D. Div. 45 – Society for the Study of Ethnic Minority Issues
E. Div. 51 – Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity

III. Relevant APA Principle and Standards
A. Principle E: Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity (protect vulnerable)
B. Standard 2.01 Boundaries of Competence (understand diversity factors)
C. Standard 3.01 Unfair Discrimination
D. Standard 9.06 Interpreting Assessment Results (consider cultural differences)

IV. Cultural Competence
A. Cultural self-awareness
1. Recognize your values, assumptions and biases
2. Minimize prejudicial beliefs
B. Knowledge of diverse cultures
1. Understand group's current lifestyles and history (language, religion, rituals, family composition)
2. Appreciate individual differences in groups
C. Culturally appropriate clinical skills
1. Minimize microaggressions - comments or actions that suggest superiority or inferiority
2. Adapt evidence-based treatments to culture

V. Graduate Programs
A. State a commitment to diversity
B. Recruit diverse students and faculty
C. Make admissions process fair
D. Infuse cultural considerations in courses
E. Help students develop cultural competence
F. Evaluate students on cultural competence