Critical Issues in Cross‐Cultural Counseling Research: Case Example of an Ongoing Project

Abstract

Cross-cultural counseling practice is characterized by a proliferation of opinions without empirical substantiation. Most research in this area is based on survey or analog studies that do not address practice issues in terms of outcome or actual clinical process. The authors examine issues in crosscultural counseling and research, using illustrations from an ongoing study.El consejo intercultural se caracteriza por medio de la generacion de opiniones proliferas sin justificacion empirica. Muchos estudios en este campo se basan en encuestas or estudios analogicos que no se dirigen a las cuestiones de la practica, en cuanto a 10s resultados o al verdadero proceso clinico. Los autores examinan temas en las investigaciones del consejo intercultural, utilizando ejemplos de un proyecto actual.

Engagement in Cross-Cultural Clinical Practice: Narrative Analysis of First Sessions

“…Data for this report is taken from a naturalistic study of cross-cultural clinical practice, whose design and method have been reported elsewhere (Tsang et al 2003). Recognizing that the RCT (randomized control/clinical trial) design has problems related to both external and internal validity (Tsang et al 2003;Howard et al 1986Howard et al , 1990, we used a naturalistic design to examine what practitioners actually did in their day-to-day practice.…”

“…Data for this report is taken from a larger data pool in a naturalistic process-outcome study of cross-cultural clinical practice conducted at the University of Toronto (Tsang et al 2003). Based on multiple outcome measures, this study used outcome data to divide clients into positive and negative outcome cases.…”

Micro Ruptures and Repairs in the Beginning Phase of Cross-Cultural Psychotherapy

“…Finally, Safran and Muran's (2000b) techniques for rupture repair will be used to describe how cross-cultural issues can be repaired in the beginning phase of psychotherapy. Clinical vignettes were taken from the first author's practice experience in a New England state, as well as from a research project, ''An Integrated Outcome-Process Study of Cross Cultural Clinical Practice,'' (Tsang, Bogo, & George, 2003). This project was a naturalistic, exploratory study examining ''treatment as usual'' with therapeutic dyads at agencies in a Canadian urban area.…”

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) services: cultural competence, client-centricity, and the role of the social worker

“…From the perspective of anti-oppressive practice that emphasizes client empowerment, collaboration between therapist and client in determining goals and choosing intervention is considered critical to cultural competence (Hays, 2001;Lo & Fung, 2003;Sue & Sue, 2003;Tsang, 2003 Mental health is the capacity of the individual, the group and the environment to interact with one another in ways that promote subjective well-being, the optimal development and use of mental abilities (cognitive, affective and relational), the achievement of individual and collective goals consistent with justice and the attainment and preservation of conditions of fundamental equality. (Definition of mental health section)…”

“…From the perspective of anti-oppressive practice that emphasizes client empowerment, collaboration between therapist and client in determining goals and choosing intervention is considered critical to cultural competence (Hays, 2001 ;Lo & Fung, 2003;Sue & Sue, 2003 ;Tsang, 2003). In contrast, aiming to understand cultural competency comprehensively, Lo and Fung (2003) examined its generic and specific aspects in psychotherapy and spelled out the following phases: pre-engagement, engagement, assessment/feedback, treatment/intervention, and closure/discharge.…”