Controversial Issues in Multiculturalism (Essay Sample)

Is the therapeutic process more effective if the client and helping professional are of the same ethnic or cultural group?
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The question of whether the therapeutic process is more effective when the client and therapist are of the same cultural or ethnic groups has often been raised in the mental health literature (Anda, 1997). Ethnic matching between therapists and clients has been regarded as a vital variable that enables clients remain in their therapy, satisfied with therapy, and make use of the services effectively. Some clinicians and researchers believe that that ethnic or cultural matching between the clients and therapist has positive effects as it helps to facilitate a therapeutic process and create positive outcomes. However, others believe that similar matching of such variables has no significant impacts, and the approach is not related to the therapeutic process and client’s outcomes. In this paper I argue that ethnic matching is an important approach, and therefore enhances the therapeutic process and interaction between the client and the therapist.
It is recommendable for therapists to understand the client’s cultural orientation, social experience and values, cultural perception about ailment, degree of acculturation and the stigma related to the mental sickness in the client’s culture. According to Anda (1997), research reveals that there is better therapy outcomes and effective therapy process when the client and therapist come from the same ethnic background. Such preference is better for client’s level of racial consciousness and the similarity of variables (like the socioeconomic background, religion and others) of the client and therapist.
However, the issue of whether ethnic matching between the client and therapist is more effective for a therapeutic process is a controversial matter. Clinicians and researchers who support such ethnic matching justify that the source (therapist’s) influence, attractiveness and credibility are functions based on the similarity between the receiver (client) and the source (therapist). These proponents of this perspective believe that therapists who come from the same ethnic background with their clients are better capable to understand their clients’ challenges, act as role model to their clients, and solve the problems facing their clients (Castoguay and Buetler, 2006). Nevertheless, clinicians and scholars, who oppose the idea of matching client and therapist ethnicity, argue that such ethnic matching is not important. They claim that what is important is the attitude of the therapists that would play vital role of attracting and helping the client and influencing the therapeutic process. Researchers of cross-cultural counseling have contended that sensitive counselors can transcend cultural differences similarly as they can transcend other differences between their clients and themselves (for example, educational, religious or economic differences). Other researchers do not see a consistent impact of ethnicity on the client treatment outcome or therapeutic process.
The impacts of matching ethnicity have better client’s outcomes that lead to positive client’s behavior change, attitude and satisfaction. Anda (1997) says that matching ethnicity is an approach that can promote willingness to continue counseling process, satisfaction with the services and minimize dropouts for clients. This is a study that has been confirmed with Asian and black clients who increasingly used therapeutic process more effectively when therapists are of the same ethnicity. Matching ethnicity between the client and therapist increases the number of sessions that clients have with therapists and minimize the cases of dropouts. In order to enhance mental health service for people of color (Latino/Hispanic Americans, pacific islander Americans, Asian Americans, native Americans and African Americans), practitioners should promote the need for ethnic or cultural matching between clients and therapists. Matching therapists with clients of a similar ethnicity is a method that has been sustained for many decades. The approach is known for creating a better therapeutic alliance. Worldview similarity between therapist and client promote interpersonal attraction.
People normally become attracted to others who have similar considered physical characteristics. People normally associate with individuals who they consider to be similar to themselves. Applying such principles to therapy is quite normal. Clients, usually, tend to seek treatment from therapists who share similarity with them. Interpersonal similarity influences an individual to prefer certain social interaction and also influences his attitude to such an interaction (Charman, 2004). Similarity is related to credibility. People, who consider themselves to be similar in terms of ethnic or cultural backgrounds, are more likely to trust themselves than people they consider to be different. Therefore, considered similarity with other people minimizes stereotypes, but increases the chances of an individual to project her traits onto another person. Based on such similar tenets, therapists with clients of similar ethnicity would more likely to have trust of each other.
If the therapeutic alliance is strengthened based on interpersonal similarity, then it demonstrates a justification that the client outcomes in the therapeutic process would be beneficial. Research has shown that congruence in the values of therapist and client result into beneficial client outcome. Ethnic or cultural matching may, thus, enhance client outcomes by improving harmonious understanding between therapist and client, and minimizing client concerns of being mistreated or misunderstood (Charman, 2004). It appears justifiable that both shared community structures and social networks may improve therapist awareness of available resources and supportive means. Ethnic or cultural...