Excellent resource for Gay Marriage & Religous Freedom

Domestic Violence information

Multicultural Case Conceptualization

Multicultural case conceptualization


Multicultural (MC) case conceptualization ability is the extent to which therapists/psychologists identify and integrate cultural factors into conceptualizations of the etiology and treatment of a client's presenting concerns (Constantine & Ladany, 2000).

Extent to which a therapist integrates ethnic or racial issues into two conceptualizations of a client's presenting concerns:
A. The first conceptualization needs to be based on beliefs about the factors contributing to the etiology of the client's difficulties;
B. The second conceptualization needs to be based on beliefs about what would be an effective treatment focus or plan in addressing the client's problems.

Two interrelated cognitive processes: differentiation and integration are examined to measure MC case conceptualization ability
i. Differentiation is defined as a counselor's ability to offer alternative interpretations or perspectives of a client's presenting problems and the nature of the treatment that could be provided. The higher the number of options presented in relation to a client's problems, the higher the degree of differentiation.
ii. Integration is characterized by a counselor's ability to formulate associations between and among differentiated interpretations.

By default, the more distinct ideas that are presented in a case conceptualization, the more differentiated the response. Moreover, a greater number of words in the context of a case conceptualization would not necessarily translate to higher integration scores because the hypothesized ideas must be linked. (For example, although a respondent may discuss issues related to a client's endogenous depression in multiple sentences in a case conceptualization, the response would count only as one idea).


The above was excerpted and modifed from:
Constantine, M. G. & Ladany, N. (2000). Self-report multicultural counseling competence scales: Their relation to social desirability attitudes and multicultural case conceptualization ability. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(2), 155-164.

Multicultural Case Conceptualization 2: Evaluation Criteria

Possible criteria for evaluation of MC case conceptualization ability

0 = no differentiation, no integration, i.e., no indication of ethnic or racial issues in conceptualizing the client's problems.

1= low differentiation, no integration, i.e., one or more references to ethnic or racial issues in the conceptualization of the client's problems, with no connections made between two or more differentiated interpretations.

2= low differentiation, low integration, i.e., one or more references to ethnic or racial issues in the conceptualization of the client's problems, with one connection made between two or more differentiated interpretations.

3 = moderate differentiation, low integration, i.e., two or more references to ethnic or racial issues in the conceptualization of the client's problems, with one connection made between two or more differentiated interpretations.

4= moderate differentiation, moderate integration, i.e., two or more references to ethnic or racial issues in the conceptualization of the client's problems, with two connections made between two or more differentiated interpretations.

5 = high differentiation, high integration, i.e., three or more indications of ethnic or racial issues in conceptualizing the client's problems, with three or more connections made between differentiated interpretations.

The above was excerpted and modifed from:
Constantine, M. G. & Ladany, N. (2000). Self-report multicultural counseling competence scales: Their relation to social desirability attitudes and multicultural case conceptualization ability. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(2), 155-164.

NOTE: The original article only specified criteria for ratings of 0, 3, and 5. I tried to get the complete rating but have not heard back from the authors. I decided to add criteria for the other ratings.

MC Case Conceptualization 3: How to do it

How to do the MC case conceptualization:

I have broken down the process of developing a MC case conceptualization into different steps. While these steps impose artificial categories, I highly recommend that you follow these steps one-by-one to manage the complexity that develops when you incorporate MC factors. Following these steps will also facilitate increased understanding of the different diversity factors in the ADdRESSING model (by Hays, 2001) and the possible intersections between these factors.

1. Look at "conventional" ways (without integrating any MC factors) to conceptualize the etiology of the client problems.

2. Identify the different ADDRESSING factors that may be relevant in your case and may provide alternative interpretations to the etiology of the client’s problems. Use the attached list (from: Addressing Cultural Complexities in Practice: A Framework of Clinicians and Counselors Pamela A. Hays, 2001).

3. Look at Step 2- how do the different ADdRESSING factors interact/intersect? Develop interpretations that incorporate these interactions/intersections to conceptualize the etiology of her problems (this would be A& ii):

4. Develop a treatment plan using what you found in Step 3. Can you identify how incorporating ADdRESSING factors changes your treatment plan?

Cultural factors

Age and generational influences

Developmental and Acquired Disabilities

Religion and Spiritual Orientation

Ethnicity

Socioeconomic Status

Sexual Orientation

Indigenous Heritage

National Origin

Gender

Resource for suicide for POC

National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide

Racial Identity Exercise

1. Take the IAT available here: IAT
Start with the Race IAT (Scroll down to the 10th test) and if you have time, take the Weapons IAT.

2. Watch the film (its about 6 minutes)

For both 1 and 2: Think about the results of the IAT and what the film shows: how do we learn about race and skin color? Did someone tell you to have a preference or not have a preference for a particular skin color? Did someone specifically tell the children in the film to have a preference for a particular skin color?

3. Read the chapter on White Racial Identity in Sue and Sue's Counseling the Culturally Different (xerox copies are in your mailbox) OR in the supplemental materials I gave you

4. Think of and identify where you are in Helm's model of White Racial Identity Development.

5. How do you think racial identity status can influence your clinical practice and your supervisory practice?


UPDATE: For those who are interested, you can go here to read posts on Implicit Attitudes. The right hand side column lists all the posts.

UPDATE 2: This is an instance of how the IAT can be relevant to our life

Muslim Mental Health

Journal of Muslim Mental Health is pleased to present the two-part thematic series~ "Islamic Religiosity: Measures and Mental Health" ~2007 Volume 2, Issue 2 & 2008 Volume 3, Issue 1

The Journal of Muslim Mental Health announces a two-part thematic series that introduces instruments measuring Islamic religious identity and examines intersections of religious identity and mental health. In light of the dearth of validated instruments for use with Muslims, this will be an essential reference volume for researchers and clinicians working with Muslim populations. Papers published in this series come from well-recognized authors from Australia, Egypt, Kuwait, Iran, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States. Papers include conceptual reviews, reports on research results, and case study; see list of titles below.

Topic areas address the following:
1. Conceptual and practical challenges in defining and measuring Islamic religious identity
2. Psychometric properties of more than 10 modified and newly-developed instruments of religiousness and aspects of Muslim identity, measuring the constructs:
· Attitudes towards religion
· Religious commitment and general religiousness
· Questing and religious reflection
· Religious and theological knowledge
· Islamic moral values
· Fundamentalism
· Religious coping
· Perceived religious discrimination
· Religiosity in spousal selection and marital satisfaction
3. Examination of relationship between religious identity and mental health
4. Integration of religiosity in mental health counseling

For more information about the Journal of Muslim Mental Health and how to subscribe, please visit http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/15564908.asp or contact journal@muslimmentalhealth.com

Accessibility and Disability Resources

This information was sent out in an email to POWR-L by Ken Pope.


Today I updated and expanded the "Assistive Technology for Computers &Printed Material" section of the *Accessibility & Disability Information & Resources in Psychology Training & Practice* web site.

This section provides descriptions of and links to software and hardwareresources that people with disabilities can use to work more effectivelywith computers or printed materials.
These assistive technologies include screen readers, talking webbrowsers, printed text readers, braille translators (text-to-braille and braille-to-text), text-to-voice software to put books into audio formats (for CDs, iPods, etc.), screen magnifiers, special computer keyboards,and technology that allows control of a computer through head movements or eye movements.

The Accessibility & Disability Information & Resources in Psychology Training & Practice web site is at:<http://kpope.com/> Please forward this announcement to any lists or individuals who mightbe interested in these resources.
Ken Pope

Articles on the Internet

How transgender women challenge feminism

If Women Were More Like Men: Why Females Earn Less and the original study is here Proving that women earn less

Children aware of White male monopoly on White House

(citation: University of Texas at Austin (2008, October 5). Children Aware Of White Male Monopoly On White House. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/10/081005121335.htm).

A white muslim woman writes about what happened when she stopped wearing a hijab



1) CDC Finds Alcohol Taking Deadly Toll on Native Americans. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5734a3.htm

2) The Way Home Tour is a national campaign planned for 2009 to support a collective healing of Native American peoples from the curse of “intergenerational trauma.” http://www.whitebison.org/TheWayHomeTourIndex.htm

3) Indian students are more than twice as likely to be paddled in school, according to a report being released on August 20, 2008. http://hrw.org/reports/2008/us0808/

4) Broken Justice in Indian Country. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/opinion/11duthu.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

5) October 8th, 2008 is Health Cares about Domestic Violence Day! The HCADV Day organizing packet will help you get started: http://www.endabuse.org/programs/display.php3?DocID=186.

6) Report Highlights Challenges of Combating Drug Traffickers Who Target Native American Communities July 21, 2008. http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2008/report-highlights-challenges.html

Looking at family of origin

Here is an assignment that can help you look at your family of origin and identifying what being "White" means.

"Ethnicity patterns our thinking, feeling, and behavior in both obvious and subtle ways, although generally we are not aware of it. It plays a major role in determining what we eat and how we work, relate, celebrate holidays and rituals, and feel about life, death, and illness." (McGoldrick, Giordano, & Pearce, 1996, p. viii)

This assignment is designed to sensitize us as future mental health professionals to the range of values (our own included) within our multicultural society. To begin with, please choose at least one chapter from the McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Preto, (1996) text that best reflects your own ethnic heritage. In this country, it is often an oversimplification to define one's identity as that of a single ethnic group. If yours is a multicultural family, and you are wondering which chapter to focus on, take into consideration that most often the mother sets the tone in the home and child-rearing. On the other hand, if the father is the parent with the strongest ethnic identification, his ethnicity might have the strongest influence in the family.

After reading the chapter or chapters most pertinent to you, write a paper/outline using points 1-10. Indicate insights you might have gained about your own values and preferences through reading the chapter(s). Speculate how these values and preferences might come into play as you assume the professional role of mental health professional (clinician, administrator, educator, or researcher).
1. Identify the culture to which you belong and the relationship of your group to that of individuals from other groups. Have knowledge of your heritage, for e.g., ethnicity, language, family’s immigration history.
2. Identify the specific cultural group from which you derive your fundamental cultural heritage and the significant beliefs and attitudes held by those cultures that are assimilated into your own attitudes and beliefs.
3. Identify specific attitudes, values, and beliefs from your own heritage and cultural learning that support behaviors that demonstrate respect and valuing of differences and those that impede or hinder respect and valuing of differences.
4. Identify at least 5 personal, relevant cultural traits and explain how each has influenced your cultural values.
5. Identify the history of your culture in relation to educational opportunities and its impact on your current worldview.
6. Articulate the beliefs of your own cultural and religious groups as these relate to sexual orientation, able-bodiedness, and so forth, and the impact of these beliefs in a counseling relationship.
7. Appreciate and articulate positive aspects of your own heritage that provide strengths in understanding differences.
8. Recognize and discuss your family's and culture's perspectives of acceptable (normal) codes of conduct and what are unacceptable (abnormal).
9. Recognize the cultural bases of your communication style, and the differences between your style and the styles of those different from themselves.
10. Identify cultural differences and expectations regarding role and responsibility in family, participation of family in career decision making, appropriate family members to be involved when seeking help, culturally acceptable means of expressing emotion and anxiety and so forth.

Note: Some of this assignment was excerpted from a similar assignment given by Dr. Flora Hoodin for EMU's ethics class. Points 1-10 are excerpted from the learning objectives outlined by Arredondo et al.

The IAT

I have found the Implicit Attitude Test (IAT) to be useful in starting a conversation about one's awareness around issues of race. What is the IAT? From their website:

It is well known that people don't always 'speak their minds', and it is suspected that people don't always 'know their minds'. Understanding such divergences is important to scientific psychology.
This web site presents a method that demonstrates the conscious-unconscious divergences much more convincingly than has been possible with previous methods. This new method is called the Implicit Association Test, or IAT for short.
In addition, this site contains various related information. The value of this information may be greatest if you try at least one test first...

Here is the link to the IAT. I'd recommend starting with the Race IAT.

Doll Test

Remember the "doll test” initially conducted by Dr. Kenneth Clark- it was used in Brown v. Board of Education for desegregation of schools. There is more information about this test at the following link: The original doll test

Kiri Davis reconducts the test in this film (2005). For more information about the film, check out: Kiri Davis Film


Watch the film