Reentry Experiences and Professional Developments of International Marriage and Family Therapy Graduates in Taiwan

Abstract

Reentry research has received much less attention than research on cultural adjustment in a foreign country, especially in the marriage and family therapy (MFT) field in the United States. Lack of research on international students' job experiences and professional developments during reentry does not provide further information to evaluate the quality of MFT education in the United States. This study was intended to extend the reentry literature and specifically to understand personal and professional reentry experiences and cross-cultural transformation of MFT returnees in Taiwan. Thirteen participants were interviewed, and the resulting data was analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. Analyses results demonstrated macro contextual factors that situated unique personal and professional reentry phenomena for international MFT graduate in Taiwan. The returnees strived to explore their MFT identity and interpret cross-cultural differences by developing four coping strategies (e.g., not wanting to fit in, doing what you were supposed to do or could do, processing with others, and therapists' multicultural awareness) that were associated with three conditions, such as personal networks linking to professional networks, supervision, and training in MFT. Findings suggested that reentry adaption was varied and fitting into Taiwanese society might not be the final goal for the returnees. Training implications in the MFT field were provided based on the findings.

Teach Self‐Awareness and Self‐of‐the‐Therapist in a Chinese Society: A Class Example at National Taiwan University

“…Systemic approaches have also been growing in popularity in Chinese societies including Mainland China, Taiwan, and Macau (Chan, 2013;Chan, Lao, Chin, & Ho, 2020;Chao & Huang, 2013;Deng, Lin, Lan, & Fang, 2013;Epstein et al, 2012;Sim & Hu, 2009). As the overall processes of westernisation, industrialisation, globalisation, and socioeconomic development have changed family dynamics in Chinese societies, MFT is needed more than ever to meet the needs of families struggling with these changes (Chan et al, 2020;Chao, 2011;Deng et al, 2013;Li & Gale, 2018;Ng, 2003).…”

“…These early educators, including Insoo Kim Berg, Virginia Satir, Michael White, and many others, were welcomed by Taiwanese counsellors, psychologists, and mental health workers. These workshops also planted a seed for students and beginning therapists to become future systemic thinkers and supporters (Chao & Huang, 2013;Li & Gale, 2018). The education and training of MFT continues to thrive in Taiwan and courses of relational theories and practice have been persistently offered through academic departments in related fields and in community institutes (Chao, 2011;Chao & Huang, 2013).…”

“…Furthermore, researchers focused on MFT in Chinese societies declared the need to modify the mostly Western-originated family therapy models to be more sensitive to Chinese values, traditions, family structures, and social and economic influences (Chan et al, 2020;Cheung & Chan, 2002;Deng et al, 2013;Epstein et al, 2012Epstein et al, , 2014Li & Gale, 2018). Chao and Lou (2018), in their article that examines the core competencies for family therapists in Taiwan, reflect on the importance of promoting local therapists' awareness of their own involvement and personal impact on therapeutic relationships.…”

“…As mentioned earlier, researchers have reported the need for clinicians and educators to pay attention to the cultural differences and to make corresponding adjustments to their practice and teaching modality when working with clients and students from Chinese societies (Epstein et al, 2012(Epstein et al, , 2014Li & Gale, 2018). It is imperative for educators and supervisors to understand their students' difficulties in understanding and applying the MFT clinical concepts from their own contexts.…”