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Diversity in Clinical Practice
Week 1 - Lecture Content: Introduction
Slide Notes
Diversity: whats in a name?
→Diversity: considering individual differences in the human population broken into
classifications such as:
thinking styles, language, ethnicity, religion, perspectives, experiences, nationality, job level,
race, culture, skills, gender, physical abilities, sexual orientation, and age
-Address sensitively and competently
-Discussing diversity requires pointing out generalities
-Danger of overgeneralising: within-group variability may be greater than between-group
Heterogeneity: being diverse
-Influenced by:
acculturation
interaction between variables - similar ethnicity, but different life circumstances
Diversity in Clinical Practice 1
, intersectionality (overlap)
Intersectionality - Kimberle Crenshaw
Intersection → a place where things come together.
It provides a framework to talk about oppressions and privileges that overlap and reinforce
each other = unique individual experiences
Intersectionality - Video Clip
it means acknowledging that many forms of oppression such as: racism, sexism and ageism
may be present and active at the same time in a person life.
not as simple as adding up all oppressions and addressing them each one individually.
They all exist on their own but when compound they change the experience of oppression.
they change in combinations
this is an essential framework when truly engaging with issues around privilege and power
and work to bring them into the open.
this term originates from black feminist movement
Why focus on Diversity?
→Patients are increasingly diverse
the number of diverse people who seek mental health services continues to grow
population is becoming increasingly more ethically and racially diverse
population over 65 is growing
→Minority groups: longer suffering, under-treatment, and more comorbidity
stigma
under-diagnosed
underestimated abilities
→Providers are less diverse
Multiculturalism as the “fourth force”
Diversity in Clinical Practice 2
, -Psychology has had a few waves: the 1st force was psychoanalysis, 2nd was behaviourist
views, 3rd was humanistic view and the4th now is more culturally informed psychology.
It is not a challenge but an enhancement of how we treat people.
Culture influences the experience or expression of psychological problems.
Multiculturalism as the “fourth force”
→To better understand how patients view their problems - cultural conceptualisation of distress
is assessed:
what do you call your problem ?
what do you think the natural cause of your problem is?
why do you think this problem has occurred?
how do you think this problem should be treated?
how do you want me to help you?
who else do you turn to for help?
→Not just in treatment and assessment but as well as in alliance building.
Importance of Therapeutic Alliance
→Psychotherapies can effectively treat mental disorders
mechanisms of change are less well known.
→Specific Factor: Therapeutic technique
→Common factors: therapeutic alliance, expectations, credible rationale, and support and
empathy.
*Therapeutic alliance = the quality of involvement between therapist and client or patient.
can be healing in itself
may be the reason for under-utilisation and high drop-out among minority groups
Cultural Competence
-Acquisition of awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively in culturally
diverse society
Diversity in Clinical Practice 3
Diversity in Clinical Practice
Week 1 - Lecture Content: Introduction
Slide Notes
Diversity: whats in a name?
→Diversity: considering individual differences in the human population broken into
classifications such as:
thinking styles, language, ethnicity, religion, perspectives, experiences, nationality, job level,
race, culture, skills, gender, physical abilities, sexual orientation, and age
-Address sensitively and competently
-Discussing diversity requires pointing out generalities
-Danger of overgeneralising: within-group variability may be greater than between-group
Heterogeneity: being diverse
-Influenced by:
acculturation
interaction between variables - similar ethnicity, but different life circumstances
Diversity in Clinical Practice 1
, intersectionality (overlap)
Intersectionality - Kimberle Crenshaw
Intersection → a place where things come together.
It provides a framework to talk about oppressions and privileges that overlap and reinforce
each other = unique individual experiences
Intersectionality - Video Clip
it means acknowledging that many forms of oppression such as: racism, sexism and ageism
may be present and active at the same time in a person life.
not as simple as adding up all oppressions and addressing them each one individually.
They all exist on their own but when compound they change the experience of oppression.
they change in combinations
this is an essential framework when truly engaging with issues around privilege and power
and work to bring them into the open.
this term originates from black feminist movement
Why focus on Diversity?
→Patients are increasingly diverse
the number of diverse people who seek mental health services continues to grow
population is becoming increasingly more ethically and racially diverse
population over 65 is growing
→Minority groups: longer suffering, under-treatment, and more comorbidity
stigma
under-diagnosed
underestimated abilities
→Providers are less diverse
Multiculturalism as the “fourth force”
Diversity in Clinical Practice 2
, -Psychology has had a few waves: the 1st force was psychoanalysis, 2nd was behaviourist
views, 3rd was humanistic view and the4th now is more culturally informed psychology.
It is not a challenge but an enhancement of how we treat people.
Culture influences the experience or expression of psychological problems.
Multiculturalism as the “fourth force”
→To better understand how patients view their problems - cultural conceptualisation of distress
is assessed:
what do you call your problem ?
what do you think the natural cause of your problem is?
why do you think this problem has occurred?
how do you think this problem should be treated?
how do you want me to help you?
who else do you turn to for help?
→Not just in treatment and assessment but as well as in alliance building.
Importance of Therapeutic Alliance
→Psychotherapies can effectively treat mental disorders
mechanisms of change are less well known.
→Specific Factor: Therapeutic technique
→Common factors: therapeutic alliance, expectations, credible rationale, and support and
empathy.
*Therapeutic alliance = the quality of involvement between therapist and client or patient.
can be healing in itself
may be the reason for under-utilisation and high drop-out among minority groups
Cultural Competence
-Acquisition of awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively in culturally
diverse society
Diversity in Clinical Practice 3
