multicultural theories

What are the five stages of minority identity development

stage 1: conformity

stage 2: dissonance

stage 3: resistance immersion

stage 4: introspection

stage 5: synergistic

explain stage 1: conformity

role models are coming from the dominant group - we often see things like internalized racism (belief in the dominant cultures belief systems and believing it about yourself)

• huge opportunity for distress

What are the five stages of minority identity development

stage 1: conformity

stage 2: dissonance

stage 3: resistance immersion

stage 4: introspection

stage 5: synergistic

explain stage 1: conformity

role models are coming from the dominant group - we often see things like internalized racism (belief in the dominant cultures belief systems and believing it about yourself)

• huge opportunity for distress

explain stage 2: dissonance

we begin to question the dominant group values - I dont think those stereotypes and those beliefs about me and my minority group are accurate

explain stage 3: resistance-immersion:

shift in thinking towards aligning with the minority groups beliefs, letting fo of internalized racism

explain stage 4: introspection

developing flexibility to establish their identity without feeling like they need to follow every cultural norm

explain stage 5: synergistic

we feel self-fulfilled based on our own definition of who we are and what we value without having to categorically agree with the values of either the dominant group or the minority group - can take values from both groups

what are the five stages of white american identity development

1. contact

2. disintegration

3. reintegration

4. pseudo-independence

5. autonomy

explain the contact stage

People will say things like “I dont see color” - denial of the experiences that people might have as racial beings, and the meanings that are imparted by our culture

explain the disintegration stage

start to acknowledge that prejudice and discrimination exist, but struggle to understand their role in perpetuating it.

• often involves emotional conflict

explain the reintegration phase

white individuals experience retreat into their comfort zones, often responding defensively to the discomfort they felt in the previous stage

• they may seek to reaffirm their whiteness and adopt an us-versus-them mentality

explain the pseudo-independence stage

becoming more interested in cultural differences, engage in learning about racism, desire to be tolerant

explain the autonomy stage

respect and appreciate minority cultures, actively seek to understand their own identity as white people and how it intersects with issues of power and privilege

What are the six stages of sexual orientation identity development

1. confusion

2. comparison

3. tolerance

4. acceptance

5. pride

6. synthesis

explain the confusion stage of sexual orientation identity development

somebody is questioning their sexual orientation

• can be distressing if the sexual orientation they are considering is stigmatizing for a minority group

explain the comparison stage of sexual orientation identity development

accept the possibility of belonging to a sexual minority

explain the tolerance phase of sexual orientation identity development

recognizing that this is their identity as a sexual minority

explain the acceptance phase of sexual orientation identity development

people start to increase contact with other sexual minorities, engage in LGBTQ culture

explain the pride phase of sexual orientation identity development

somebody can stand and say they are proud to be the way they are, no part of me wishes that I was heterosexual

explain the synthesis stage of sexual orientation identity development

this is when you want to reach out to people who are heterosexual to help them understand your culture

define intersectionality

the way multiple aspects of a persons identity (race, age, gender, etc.) intersect to create a unique experience of living for an individual

What is the addressing framework?

framework created to recognize and analyze key aspects of identity that influence people's lived experiences, privileges, and disadvantages. Each letter in the acronym represents an aspect of identity that impacts people's experiences of power, privilege, and oppression.

What does ADDRESSING stand for

Age

Developmental and acquired disabilities

Religion

Ethnicity

Socioeconomic Status

Sexual orientation

Indigenous heritage

National origin

Gender

explain age

Set of cultural norms and beliefs that each generation has, we often see ageism as we progress. People who are older face discrimination in the workplace and other domains of life. Aging can be a form of distress.

explain developmental and acquired disabilities

How members of a group based on their disability status may have a different set of distresses. Developmental disabilities (autism or intellectual) and acquired disabilities (such as those from accidents, illnesses, or aging.)

explain religion

often shapes individuals beliefs and values, they influence how people view themselves and their relationships with others, and their understanding of life's purpose. Can create distress if someone feels like they are not living in accordance with their faith or if their religious identity clashes with dominant societal norms 

explain ethnicity

 Experiences of racial or ethnic discrimination can profoundly affect mental health. For example, people from marginalized racial groups may experience systemic inequities that lead to higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression

explain socioeconomic status

Includes factors like income, education, occupation, and wealth, which determine how individuals experience opportunities and challenges in life. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may face significant stressors related to financial insecurity and discrimination based on their economic position.

explain sexual orientation

Refers to a person’s emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others. For LGBTQ+ individuals, their sexual orientation can impact how they experience acceptance or discrimination from family, peers, or society. Challenges such as internalized homophobia, rejection, and the struggle for visibility 

explain indigenous heritage

explain national origin

explain gender

describe the difference between collectivistic and individualistic worldviews

• Collectivistic: Define our personhood, what it means to be a person in relation to other people, interwoven and connected to relationships with others. I define myself in relation to others. Emphasis on interdependence and working together, sharing resources, maintaining social harmony, prioritizing communication. 

• Individualistic: define people based on our own attributes 

  • Less of an emphasis on sharing resources and interdependence and more emphasis on things like individual success, competition. 

  • The dominant culture in the US is individualistic 

explain the difference between ethnocentric and ethnorelative perspective

• Ethnocentric: the idea that ones own culture is superior to others

  • view their cultural norms as the standard or “correct” way of living

• Ethnorelative: the ability to recognize, appreciate, and understand cultural differences without judging them by the standards of ones own culture

Explain cultural competence

A set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and policies that reflect an understanding of how cultural and sociopolitical influences shape individuals world views and related health behaviors. (congruent means being true to yourself) Genuinely believe that culture matters, culture influences and shapes how we experience the world and distress. 

explain cultural destructiveness

We are actively engaged in values and behaviors that are destructive to other cultures.

• Ex: conversion therapy, practice of trying to convert people in the LGBTQ+ community. Someone engaging in this kind of therapy is engaging in cultural destructiveness. 

explain cultural incapacity

A belief in a paternalistic way of looking at minority cultures. Maybe you are not actively trying to be discriminatory but you believe in the hierarchy that some cultures are better than others.

explain cultural blindness

Culture makes no difference and that the dominant culture is universally acceptable.

explain cultural-precompetence

 Desire to provide equitable and fair treatment, but not having the resources to know how to proceed. They have the values, and genuine attitude, but they just don't have the congruent behaviors and policies 

describe the therapeutic relationship in multicultural therapy

• Recognize clients expectation for the therapist role in their relationship

• Are they a fellow traveler? Are they an expert? 

• Therapists will enter the therapy trying to understand what role the client thinks they are going to play. 

• Respond according to clients needs 

• Work towards cultural congruence in worldviews, to find a way to match a bridge with the worldviews that the client and therapist are coming into therapy with. Work together in the therapeutic relationship. 

explain interethnic transference

• to the unconscious or conscious reactions a client has toward a therapist based on the therapist's perceived ethnic or cultural identity. These reactions are shaped by the client's past experiences, societal stereotypes, and personal biases related to ethnicity or race.

  • can play a positive, negative or neutral role in the therapeutic relationsship

explain intra-ethnic transference

(How client reacts to therapist of the same ethnicity)

• Views therapist as omniscient or omnipotent, traitor (betrayal of culture)

• Could view the therapist as all knowing, assuming they know exactly what they are saying and experiencing because the therapist shares the same identity 

• This can bring pitfalls to the client assuming that the therapist knows things that they maybe don’t only because they are part of the same culture.

• Auto racism is holding racist viewpoints because they have internalized the racism themselves.

explain interethnic countertransference

This occurs when a therapist and client come from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds, and the therapist's reactions are influenced by those differences. These reactions can be unconscious and may reflect biases, stereotypes, or discomfort about cultural differences.

explain intra-ethnic countertransference

• This occurs when a therapist and client share the same ethnic or cultural background, and the therapist's reactions are shaped by their own lived experiences within that cultural identity. This dynamic is often more subtle, as shared cultural identity can create a sense of familiarity, but it also introduces unique challenges.

  • Overidentification→ really seeing your experience from the patient's point of view can cloud your judgment and can impact you if you see yourself in that person too much. 

  • shared victimization; distancing; survivors guilt (I have entered a different status and feel bad leaving behind some of my culture), cultural myopia (can’t see clearly) 

What is the evidence base for multicultural therapy?

What are some characteristics of culturally competent therapists?

Define co-counseling.