Social and Cultural Diversity Essay
Introduction
Socio-cultural diversity encompasses the cultural aspects that influence a person’s interactions with others of different backgrounds (Sue et al., 2019). Worldwide, the highest rates of cultural diversities are found in the U.S., including African/Black Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and White Americans. The various aspects of diversity include race, ethnicity, gender, cultural background, nationality, disability, class, age, language, geographic location, and more. In a diverse-culture environment, issues of cultural bias, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination are common as some cultures perceive themselves to be superior to others. This requires a professional counselor to understand and show awareness of socio-cultural diversity while treating diverse clients to avoid bias, prejudice, and discrimination (Morris, 2014). The paper seeks to identify the personal biases that might impact a counselor’s treatment approach. Also, the paper will demonstrate an understanding of the racism/discrimination concept in the context of therapy. Finally, the paper will review and explore the ACA Code of Ethics that guides the conduct of a professional counselor.
Cultural Diversity – A Definition
Cultural diversity refers to the existence of various ethnic and cultural groups within the society (Chu et al., 2016). In counseling, professional counselors interact with diverse cultural clients in terms of age, ethnicity, race, religion, social class, and gender orientation. Diverse clients hold diverse values, beliefs, perceptions, norms, and thought patterns. Cultural sensitivity is mandatory for a counselor when interacting with diverse clients.
Part 1: Personal History
Cultural bias negatively impacts counseling approach. Counselors operate in culturally diverse environments where personal bias might greatly impact their counseling approach (Nittle, 2010). As a mental health counselor, one interacts with diverse patients in terms of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, and more. Personally, I tend to have cultural bias toward different groups of clients. For example, negative attitude against racial groups who consider themselves superior to others, ignorance of patient’s racial expression and background during counseling, language barrier with certain groups, race and sex taboo, and the Negro’s reservation towards self-disclosure. Also, I discriminate against people who hold negative stereotypes against black patients, especially whites. Regardless of whether White, Black, Christian, or Muslim, every patient should be treated fairly and with dignity.
Discrimination against the Black race is common in the United States. While I may not have experienced discrimination, I have witnessed the White supremacists undermine, discredit, and abuse the Black people using negative and ill-guided stereotypes. In the counseling environment, White patients consider themselves superior and worthy of being prioritized by counselors in the course of treatment. Some White counselors discriminate against the Black patients and attend to their fellow Whites first, giving the Black patients the last priority. In the context of African American’s cultural background, this discrimination is disheartening and adversely affects their feelings, emotions, and mental health while attending therapy sessions (Liao, Hong, & Rounds, 2016). No matter one’s race, counselors have the mandate to treat them fairly, equally, and with dignity. Treating Black patients unjustly promotes racism and is unprofessional of a counselor.
As a culturally diverse individual, I have always interacted with people whose cultural beliefs, behaviors, norms, and thought patterns differ from those of our culture. For example, while in school, I have interacted with people of diverse races, ages, gender, and nationality. White students consider themselves more upright and deserving to grow professionally and undermine the Black students. In counseling practice, patients of different races hold different beliefs, perceptions, and assumptions against other races (Mojaverian, Hashimoto, & Kim, 2012). In job interviews, I have come into contact with employers who discriminate against others on the grounds of race, disability, or gender. An instance that remains memorable is seeing disabled job seekers miss on the job opportunity because they cannot move around the office. All these types of discrimination, bias, and prejudice against a certain group of people are unfair and unethical to a professional.
Interacting with people whose cultures differ from mine has impacted a lot on how I perceive people, regard their cultures, and associate with them. First, this experience has taught me the importance of respecting other people and treating them with dignity. Regardless of age, gender, race, religion, or origin, every person wants to be respected and treated with dignity (Sue et al., 2019). Showing discrimination, prejudice, and bias against a certain group of people on the grounds of its characteristics is unethical of a professional counselor. Second, this experience has taught me the concept of cultural sensitivity. A good counselor should be culturally sensitive and avoid imposing their opinions, ideas, and perceptions on that of the patient. Also, I have learned that people deserve fair treatment. Discriminating against disability, race, gender, or age hinders cultural growth and is unethical.
Part 2: Concepts of Racism/Discrimination
Race discrimination refers to the unfair treatment on the grounds of race/color difference. Race discrimination is against the 2010’s Equality Act. In counseling and psychology, instances of race discrimination are common, with the Blacks being discriminated against by the whites using unjustified stereotypes (Parekh, 2001). This part demonstrates the concepts of racism and discrimination.
What does it mean to be a subtle racist?
As a contemporary form of racism, subtle racism poses major problems. According to (Liao, Hong, & Rounds, 2016), subtle racism creates a challenge to the perceivers for two reasons, i.e., subtle racism is difficult to discern, and the questionable actions can be easily justified by causes other than racism. Based on this argument, subtle racism refers to the ambiguous and complex form of facial discrimination. A subtle racist, thus, is an individual who holds adverse and implicit attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions against people of other races (Liao, Hong, & Rounds, 2016). Typically, subtle racist orchestrates means to harm, tarnish, and discredit other racial groups who he/she views their race as inferior. A good example of a subtle racist is a person who believes in white supremacists and considers other races, like African Americans, as inferior. In a school environment comprising both White and Black learners, the Black learners tend to be discriminated against, prejudiced, and stereotyped as inferior and undeserving compared to their White counterparts. This behavior is promoted by the school management, especially if the principal is a White. While White students are allowed freedom to play loud music, the Blacks tend to be denied this privilege. Based on this example, a subtle racist’s perception is impacted by the perceivers’ group status, beliefs, and perceptions. Group status involves the perceived power or prestige linked to one’s social group. Discriminating against people because of their race is always disheartening, inhuman, and depressing.
Why could there be significant differences in perceptions and values of members within the same ethnic group?
Members within the same ethnicity could hold significant differences in values, perceptions, and thought patterns for various reasons. These reasons include variance in education levels, being culturally insensitive, exposure to diverse cultures and people, intermarriages, and ignorance of one’s cultural values, norms, and believes (Parekh, 2001). Exposure to foreign cultures highly impacts people’s values and perceptions, forcing some to forget and abandon their cultural heritage. Also, people within the same ethnicity have different education levels, and this affects their values, perceptions, and thought patterns. Educated people think, argue, reason, and make decisions in a sound approach compared to those who have not gone to school. Since education corrupts cultural values, beliefs, norms, and perceptions, educated people tend to disapprove the already established and recognized cultural values and perceptions of society (Nagayama & Maramba, 2001). Besides, exposure to urban areas makes people think differently. Children brought up in the city understand nothing about the ethnic culture, tribal values, and believes compared to those brought up in rural areas. Other people are obsessed with pride and show cultural ignorance of their cultural heritage, beliefs, perceptions, and values by imitating other cultures.
Part 3: ACA Code of Ethics
Discuss how the ACA or ASCA code of ethics will inform your practice.
Identify and cite the specific ACA or ASCA multicultural codes that you will use to inform your practice.
Multicultural competency is a key trait of a professional counselor. Section C of the ACA Code of Ethics requires that counselors be professionally responsible. Section C.5 of the ACA Code of Ethics talks about non-discrimination. This sub-section requires counselors to not encourage discrimination against a potential or current client, employee, supervisee, or student based on culture, ethnicity, age, disability, gender, religion, marital status, and sexual orientation.
What did you learn about the importance of cultural sensitivity in treatment planning?
Culture influences all spheres of life. Culture defines illness, health, and treatment planning. Being culturally sensitive to a client’s cultural beliefs, opinions, norms, values, and perceptions is essential in therapy. In treatment planning, cultural sensitivity allows a counselor to acquire and maintain cultural competence, understand and recognize a client’s culture, and influence his/her relationship with the client seeking treatment. Aspects of a client’s culture are included in the treatment plan, helping the client respond positively to the treatment.
How do communication styles and help-seeking behaviors differ across cultures?
Communication styles and help-seeking behaviors differ across cultures in various ways. For example, people from Asian American cultural backgrounds are unwilling to seek out professional assistance compared to those coming from European American cultural contexts. Similarly, research by (Mojaverian, Hashimoto, & Kim, 2012) suggests that Asians are less likely than Europeans to seek help from those close to them. Studies link these differences in communication and health-seeking behaviors to reliance on informal social links and cultural stigma.
How might strategies to build rapport be differentiated based on culture?
Strategies of rapport building might be differentiated based on culture through discussion, immediate approach mechanisms, identification of bias, and more. A counselor needs to understand his/her cultural bias prior to starting therapy with a client. Discussing the counselor’s and the client’s cultural values is also key in rapport building. This enables a counselor to be culturally sensitive to the client’s cultural values and beliefs.
Examine underlying reasons for differential treatment methods.
Consult several professional journals on treatment practices and cultural biases.
Being culturally sensitive is a key factor to consider in differential treatments. Differential treatments are applied in case-by-case scenarios because not all treatment approaches suit certain cultures (Villatte, et al., 2016). In counseling, counselors apply different theories on different clients based on their cultural values and perceptions.
Identify sources of potential counselor cultural bias within these practices.
The main sources of potential counselor cultural bias include language barrier of inferior people, counselor’s ignorance of the client’s cultural background and values, negative racial attitudes towards a certain culture, and stereotypes against other people’s culture.
What resources could help you to become more informed regarding cultural diversity? Cite resources you can use to dispel your personal biases.
To become a more informed and culturally sensitive counselor, the required resources include the ACA Code of Ethics, supervisory experience, practicum experience and internship program, journal articles about cultural sensitivity, counselor conference gatherings, and watching TV programs about cultural diversity.
How could you apply your learning to your future practice as a counselor?
In this course, I have learned the concept of diversity and culture in the counseling field. Studying this course has made me understand the attributes of a good counselor, i.e., multicultural competency and respect for clients’ cultural values and belief systems. In future, I want to exhibit a high code of multicultural competence while interacting with and treating diverse cultural clients. I look forward to practicing free from any form of discrimination regardless of the clients’ race, gender, sex, disability, origin, age, and more.
Conclusion
In the recent past, the topic of social and cultural diversity has attracted endless debates and research, especially by psychological scholars. Socio-cultural diversity involves diversity in terms of peoples’ social values and cultural beliefs. This paper has identified and explored the personal biases that might potentially affect a counselor’s treatment approach and planning. Also, the paper has demonstrated the concept of subtle racism and how it applies in the context of counseling. Finally, the paper has explored the ACA Code of Ethics related to cultural sensitivity and non-discrimination of patients seeking therapy.
References
Chu, J., Leino, A., Pflum, S., & Sue, S. (2016). A model for the theoretical basis of cultural competency to guide psychotherapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 47(1), 18.
Liao, H. Y., Hong, Y., & Rounds, J. (2016). Perception of Subtle Racism: The Role of Group Status and Legitimizing Ideologies. The Counseling Psychologist, 44(2), 237-266.
Mojaverian, T., Hashimoto, T., & Kim, H. S. (2012). Cultural Differences in Professional Help Seeking: A Comparison of Japan and the U.S. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 615. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00615
Morris, B. (2014). The impact of culture & ethnicity on the counseling process: perspectives of genetic counselors from minority ethnic groups. New York: American Counseling Association.
Nagayama, H. G., & Maramba, G. G. (2001). In search of cultural diversity: Recent literature in cross-cultural and ethnic minority psychology. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 7(1), 12.
Nittle, N. K. (2010). Examples of Subtle Racism and the Problems It Poses. New York: New York Times.
Parekh, B. (2001). Rethinking multiculturalism: Cultural diversity and political theory. Ethnicities, 1(1), 109-115.
Sue, D. W., Sue, D., Neville, H. A., & Smith, L. (2019). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice. Boston: John Wiley & Sons.
Villatte, J. L., Vilardaga, R., Villatte, M., Vilardaga, J. C., Atkins, D. C., & Hayes, S. C. (2016). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy modules: Differential impact on treatment processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 77, 52-61.