Extending the multicultural orientation (MCO) framework to group psychotherapy: A clinical illustration.

Kivlighan, Dennis M.; Chapman, Norah

doi:10.1037/pst0000142

Cited by 23 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…These three MCO dimensions are: (a) cultural humility, which is a therapists' level of openness, nonjudgment, and authentic curiosity regarding a clients' cultural background, (b) cultural opportunities, or the moments in therapy when therapists are attuned to, illuminate, and discuss critical and culturally relevant topics identified by clients, and (c) cultural comfort, which is the degree to which therapists are able to recognize their own emotional, physiological, and behavioral cues that allow them to stay present with clients' culturally charged disclosures (Davis et al, 2018). More recently, this framework has been applied to examine group therapy interactions and how these three dimensions facilitate productive dialogue among group members or thwart genuine conversations (Kivlighan & Chapman, 2018). For example, a study examining cultural processes of therapy groups found that group members' disclosures about their cultural selves differed between therapy groups (Kivlighan et al, 2019).…”

Section: Leveraging a Multicultural Orientation (Mco) Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Problematic systems: Applying a multicultural orientation framework to understand “problematic members”.

Rigg

Kivlighan²,

Tao

2020

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice

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Within the group therapy literature, individuals who behave in ways that are perceived as negatively impacting the group dynamic or process have commonly been referred to as problematic group members. Largely, this research has identified intrapsychic and interpersonal reasons for challenging client behaviors and provided clinical recommendations for challenging group work. However, this work has not considered a sociocultural and systems approach to understand the impact of systems of privilege and oppression on members' in-group behaviors. In this paper we argue that members' "problematic" in-group behaviors may in fact be a recapitulation of problematic systems of privilege and oppression that occur outside and within the therapy group. We provide evidence of the impact of cultural processes, and by extension, the impact of systems of privilege and oppression on group processes and outcomes. Finally, we provide clinical recommendations for addressing members' problematic in-group behaviors from a multicultural orientation framework. Public Significance StatementTo date, group psychotherapy research has theorized 'problematic' group members (e.g., members who disrupt group dynamics through interpersonal patterns like silence) are doing so because of intrapsychic and interpersonal reasons such as a personality disorder or other mental illness. Because this conceptualization has not fully considered the impacts of oppression on interpersonal behaviors, we used the multicultural orientation (MCO) framework to reconceptualize 'problematic' group members in order to allow clinicians to view members interpersonal styles as potential responses to systems of privilege and oppression. Finally, we provide recommendations for clinicians to address disruptive group member behaviors using the MCO framework.

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Section: Leveraging a Multicultural Orientation (Mco) Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Problematic systems: Applying a multicultural orientation framework to understand “problematic members”.

Rigg

Kivlighan²,

Tao

2020

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice

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“…However, adding the keywords "group therapy," "group counseling," or "group psychotherapy" yielded none. Group theorists and researchers do recognize, however, the need to implement culturally and socially just practice in group-based psychosocial treatments that focus on systems of power and oppression through a multicultural lens (Burnes & Ross, 2010;Chen et al, 2008;Kivlighan & Chapman, 2018). Recent studies have initiated efforts to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of cultural processes in group psychotherapy, and the impact of microaggressions in therapy groups (Belcher Platt, 2017;Kivlighan et al, 2019aKivlighan et al, , 2019bKivlighan et al, , 2020.…”

Section: Microaggressions In Group Therapymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, developing therapists' MCO may be particularly important to address microaggressions when they occur. Kivlighan and Chapman (2018) applied the MCO framework directly to group therapists, noting that, "group therapists who are able to engage cultural humility, comfort, and seek cultural opportunities may be better prepared to establish culturally affirming and inclusive group environments, and reduce the possibilities for within-group experiences of oppression and sociopolitical inequalities" (p. 43). In their application of the MCO framework, they discussed how a group therapist's MCO can facilitate the opportunity to discuss cultural issues presented by a microaggression at the moment, with humility and comfort.…”

Section: The Group Therapistmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Group Multicultural Orientation. Kivlighan and Chapman (2018) suggested that therapists can assume and model an MCO as early as the pregroup preparation stage. This sets a norm for addressing cultural opportunities within a group, which will be important when the group is presented with the opportunity to address a microaggression that has occurred.…”

Section: The Groupmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cultural ruptures: Addressing microaggressions in group therapy.

Miles¹,

Anders²,

Kivlighan³

et al. 2021

Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice

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Objective: Because therapy groups represent social microcosms, social dynamics from outside of the group play out in the context of the group, including those related to power, privilege, and oppression, like microaggressions. Left unaddressed, microaggressions have negative impacts on the health and well-being of the targets, perpetuate systemic inequity, and present a particularly destructive form in rupture to the group. The objective of this practice review is to help prepare group therapists to address the cultural ruptures known as microaggressions. Method: We first briefly review the literature on microaggressions, including those that occur in individual and group psychotherapy, to highlight the importance of addressing microaggressions when they occur. Next, we review the literature related to multicultural competence, multicultural orientation, difficult dialogues, and bystander intervention to suggest practice recommendations for addressing microaggressions in group therapy at the therapist and group levels. We also present a case example to illustrate these recommendations in practice. Results: Our practice recommendations highlight actionable ways for group therapists to proactively prepare to address microaggressions both before and outside of the group and in the here-and-now. Conclusions: Microaggressions are likely to occur in the social microcosm of the group and addressing microaggressions in groups is essential. Group leaders can proactively prepare themselves and the group to address microaggressions as they occur to minimize harm to the targets and the group-as-a-whole. Highlights and Implications• Microaggressions, or subtle discriminatory slights that perpetuate inequality, are likely to emerge in the context of the social microcosm of group therapy, as they have been found to in individual therapy.• At the group level, the group can also set norms that encourage and support difficult cultural dialogues, develop a group MCO (i.e., their cultural humility, and willingness and comfort in addressing cultural issues, like those presented by microaggressions), develop capacities for bystander intervention, and create corrective emotional experiences in response to cultural ruptures.• Additional empirical research is needed on microaggressions in group therapy, as well as the preparation of the therapist and group to successfully negotiate these cultural ruptures as they occur.

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“…Despite many books (Williams, 2020) and articles (J. Owen et al, 2019) addressing microaggressions in individual treatment, few have examined microaggressions in group therapy (Bemak & Chung, 2018;Kivlighan & Chapman, 2018). Lefforge et al (2020) were the first to develop a training model to help leaders address microaggressions in group treatment.…”

Section: Microaggressions In Groupmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ruptures and Repairs in Group Psychotherapy: From Theory to Practice

Marmarosh¹

2021

International Journal of Group Psychotherapy

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The group climate, cohesion, and alliance with the leaders are critical elements of effective group psychotherapy. Although there has been significant attention to these curative mechanisms, there has been less attention to ruptures in the group relationships or the repair of them. The current special issue is devoted to theory, research, training, and practice regarding ruptures and repairs in group treatment. Contemporary and more traditional theorists describe how ruptures facilitate change in group therapy. Researchers apply the empirical findings on ruptures in individual therapy to group therapy and describe how ruptures can be measured. Group therapists also address how group leaders can contribute to ruptures and their subsequent repair. This introduction to the special issue concludes with the implications for practice and a call for future research that will help us fully understand how ruptures affect group process and outcomes in group work.This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

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Extending the multicultural orientation (MCO) framework to group psychotherapy: A clinical illustration.

Cited by 23 publications

References 19 publications

Problematic systems: Applying a multicultural orientation framework to understand “problematic members”.

Problematic systems: Applying a multicultural orientation framework to understand “problematic members”.

Cultural ruptures: Addressing microaggressions in group therapy.

Ruptures and Repairs in Group Psychotherapy: From Theory to Practice

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