Phenomenological exploration into therapists' multicultural case vignettes

Abstract

Given the consistent diversification of the United States, scholars and professional organizations agree that culturally sensitive mental healthcare is imperative. Research suggests that racially marginalized groups are more likely to suffer from distress as a result of the oppression that they face. Scholars have long emphasized the importance of cultural responsiveness in therapy; however, the evidence for the prevailing tripartite model of multicultural competence is mixed, and most extant research is quantitative in nature, leaving unexamined the intrapsychic processes that therapists engage in when applying (or not applying) a multicultural lens to client conceptualization. Thus, for the study, a qualitative approach was used to explore psychologists' multicultural case conceptualizations and diagnoses based on two vignettes, in an attempt to better understand the internal processes psychologists engage in and what processes do or do not lead to the multiculturally sensitive conceptualization of therapy clients. Six themes emerged from the data: multicultural competence, systems of support, controlling images, biological factors, multicultural orientation, and focus on cognitive therapies. Implications for training programs, practice, and research were also discussed.