Racial Stereotypes and Therapy - Annotated Bibliography Example

Annotated Bibliography on Racial Stereotypes and Therapy Shih, M., & Sanchez, D. (2005). Perspectives and research on the positive and negative implications of having multiple racial identities. Psychological Bulletin, 131(4), 569-591. This particular study uses a mixed methodology approach to examine how people from different cultures and races deal with the stereotypes associated with their racial identity. The negative effects of such stereotyping that are particular studied by these author’s include depression, problem behaviors, peer relationships, school performance, and self-esteem. It was largely determined, through the study findings, that individuals who are either multiracial, or from a different racial construct, tend to be as well adjusted and unaffected by these stereotypes when compared to individuals who are monoracial. This is based on various psychological outcomes from the tests that were administrated to the trial participants. Earlier counseling assumptions that such individuals may not be well adjusted are challenged (Shih & Sanchez, 2005, pp. 570-571) The authors of this study point out that a negative impact of racial stereotypes in a therapeutic environment rests in the very identity process that an ethnic minority goes through. This conflict is “between their own self-definition and the definition imposed on them from the outside world” (Shih & Sanchez, 2005, p. 572). This provides a challenge for the therapist because they must work hard to counter these negative thoughts entering from the outside and balance them with creating a positive self-identity moving forward in the client-therapist relationship. This study is well suited for this task. Mental health counselors must be equipped to provide therapy for the culturally diverse. The author’s of this particular study begin by examining the psychological components of individuals who are culturally diverse, multiracial, or in the minority. One particularly interesting area of this study focuses on the identity development of the culturally diverse individual. In order to provide sound therapeutic principles to this population, mental health professionals must be able to fully understand the impact of societal stereotypes and the challenges that these individuals face on a regular basis. They must, for example, accept the challenge that there is no one racial identity model that applies to every individual. Each cultural group will react differently to such stereotyping and, as such, there is a great variance among multiracial individuals in terms of how they actually define their racial identity (Shih & Sanchez, 2005, p. 575). This study is particularly useful to the area of providing therapy and counseling services to the culturally diverse because of the various methodologies that the researchers employ. In addition, they study employed a cross-sectional design (Shih & Sanchez, 2005, p. 578). The author’s also advocate for future research to be conducted using multiple methodologies that employ both experimental and longitudinal studies. This will provide mental health counselors and psychology professions with some new tools. With these tools at their disposal, they can gain some new insight in to the various experiences of the multiracial individual and learn how to better assist them in adjusting to society. Sue, D. (2007). Racial microagressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice. American Psychologist, 62(4), 271-286. Individuals of a different racial identity from the majority are often confronted with “daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental abuses.” They might be either intentional or not, but they can “communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults” towards people who are culturally diverse. This thought pattern forms the bases for this 15-page study. This particular paper provides a fascinating look at various therapy and intervention efforts that mental health counselors can employ in an attempt to help this growing segment of the population. The term used to describe such racial stereotyping that results in degrading behavior is racial microagression. The author of this particular study begins by studying such communications in an effort to determine how the aggressive behavior originates in the first place. They then create a “taxonomy of racial microaggresions” that is used in everyday life (Sue, 2007, p. 271). This information becomes useful to the mental health counselor who is trying to determine just what their client is experiencing. Much literature is also reviewed in this study to determine the psychological factors at play here. The author discovered that microaggressions tend to appear in three different and distinct forms. There are microassault, microinsult, and microinvalidation (Sue, 2007, p. 273). They also discovered the interesting fact that nearly “all interracial encounters are subject to micoaggresions.” Given this knowledge, they employ the “White counselor to client of color counseling dyad to illustrate how they impact the development of an actual therapeutic alliance” (Sue, 2007, p. 273). Finally, the study ends with the author making various suggestions related to the “education, training, and research in the helping professions” to help tackle this important psychological issue facing culturally diverse individuals and the impact of micoaggressions on their behavior (Sue, 2007, pp. 276-278). There has been some difficulty in describing and defining racial discrimination that often occurs as blatant bias. The author points out these particular types of racism are difficult to identify. They are also difficult to apply to therapeutic situations as the microaggressions are often subtle and go unnamed and untreated (Sue, 2007, p. 276) One particularly useful feature of this paper resides in the tables that appear in the middle of the 15-page study. The author does an excellent job explaining various examples of racial microaggressions that are prevalent in society today. She begins by listing various themes, such as the ascription of intelligence, and then continues with a specific example of a microaggression related to that them and the message that is communicated (Sue, 2007, p. 279). For example, one might say to a culturally diverse individual ‘You are a credit to your race’ (Sue, 2007, p. 281). This statement alone implies that people from other racial constructs are not as intelligent as Whites. Such information is invaluable to the mental health counselor, and particularly useful to this student as well. By understanding the various microaggresions that exist, individuals can begin to get the therapy that they need to overcome the depression and anxiety that comes from racial stereotyping. Ahmed, S., Wilson, K., Henriksen, R., & Windwalker-Jones, J. (2011). What does it mean to be a culturally-competent counselor? Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 3(1), 17-28. The team of professors in this article focuses on the reasons why professionals in the health and human services industry today must be more competent in the area of multiculturalism. Using this knowledge as a backdrop, the researchers focus on developing certain core competencies that can then be used as ‘best practices’ when teaching health and service professionals to expand their multicultural competence. Interestingly enough, they also give specific reasons why this is a vitally important task to accomplish, in addition to offering possibilities of what will happen if the suggestions are not implemented. This article is well designed because it begins by offering an in-depth, and easy to understand, definition of multicultural competence. “The definition of multicultural competence means in part to approach the counseling process from the context of the personal culture of the client” (Ahmed, et. al., 2011, p. 18). As one studies this particular research, they will note that the scholars give personal examples about this area of study and why the topic is so important to the mental health counselor. One of the presenters, for example, discusses how a multi-racial woman is likely to receive less attention from the counselor. It is important, therefore, for counselors to understand the negative stereotypes and biases that they might have against the culturally diverse and that they develop strategies whereby they can effectively deal with this. This research presents a theory that will help mental health professionals separate their bias out from their practice and begin to truly function as a multicultural counselor. This requires a shift in paradigm in the counseling practice, which is the reason these author’s suggest numerous educational sessions in order to reeducate today’s professionals to become more aware of the specific needs and therapy interventions techniques to use with the culturally diverse individual. There are barriers, to be sure, that must be overcome if the negative stereotypes impacting a client that is ethnically diverse are going to be eliminated. It begins with an understanding that the immigration numbers in America are rapidly rising and there is an increasing culturally diverse population in nearly ever corner of America (Ahmed, et. al., 2011, p. 19). This article is particularly useful to the mental health counselor because it offers recommendations for action. There are four main strategies presented that advocate for the development of a support system for mental health professionals who feel they are alone in their work environments. In addition, there is the recommendation for more ‘bottom-up’ rather than ‘top-down’ training. A third recommendation is to provide assistance to the development of groups that work to bring about social justice in the country. Finally, programs should be developed that provide more opportunities for participation and practice (Ahmed, et. al, 2011, p.25). In summary, this research is groundbreaking because it provides real-life examples, information, and recommendations from scholars in the field. Following these recommendations will help assist the mental health counselor of today begin to eliminate negative racial stereotypes that have slowly crept into their practice. Read More