Communication and Interpersonal Process and Working with Diversity - Literature review Example

Communication and Interpersonal Process and working with diversity Name University Affiliation Communication and Interpersonal Process and working with diversity Communication is a critical theme for social workers and is especially a significant factor in shaping and influencing the outcome in social work. Besides interpersonal process, diversity is another important factor that shapes communication between a social worker and a client. Social workers must therefore understand how diversity that ranges from differences in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientations may affect social work outcomes. Understanding differences in culture for instance may influence how social workers interact with their clients in interaction such as counseling. Understanding how best to address diversity issues may help the social workers to effectively handle various differences and offer effective solutions to the clients. Working with diversity and communication for social workers One way that diversity may influence the counselors, psychologists, and social workers and client relationship is in terms of communication. Brammer (2011) posits that diversity is a product of categorization, and categories range from culture, gender among other differences. Culture is one of the most salient category, which has the strongest impact on social worker-client relationship and this may affect communication outcome. Eleftheriadou (2003) argues that cross-cultural issues filter into all aspects of individuals lives and inevitably plays a significant role in therapeutic work. There is also growing evidence that there are large numbers of clients who are being misdiagnosed mostly due to the racism and misunderstanding of cultural factors (Eleftheriadou, 2003). One of the factors that contribute to the challenges of dealing with diversity is the fact that social workers may lack clear expectations on the way a patient should behave and specifically on the limits of normality and abnormality. In case of dealing with a minority, an individual within the mainstream culture may have their own attitudes and unconscious assumptions towards the minority group and this may shape the way they react towards them. Social workers must work within these challenges and for them to successful work cross-culturally or among diverse groups requires that the social worker challenge the stereotypes surrounding race, culture and other differences. Eleftheriadou (2003) asserts that there is always a danger of seeing individual clients as representing the culture, race, and other groups and in this case, a social worker may perceive the individual from a different group as representing the thinking and behavior of the whole group. The social worker may consciously and unconsciously communicate to the clients their stereotypes. Such stereotypes are formed from an ethnocentric view of the world, where individuals perceive their own groups as superior and defining what is correct besides being representative of the norm with other groups being inferior. In cross-cultural communication, such a perspective may result to reflection of the behavior in interacting with individuals from other groups other than our own. Communication can be either verbal or non-verbal. An understanding of variation in verbal and non-verbal communication, which may be largely dependent on such differences as culture, is crucial for effective outcomes in the social work. Social workers should be aware of the cultural variations in both verbal and non-verbal communications. Eleftheriadou (2003) states that research has indicated that people are better able to decode body behavior and facial expressions more accurately when they are exhibited by individuals whom they share race, culture and language. In addition, paralanguage, which consists of loudness of voice, pauses, hesitations, rate of speech and pitch differs across different cultures. Considering that therapists are better able to pick most of the information from body language as compared to client’s verbal communication, it means that individuals from a culture other than the social workers culture may be problematic to the extent of the accuracy in deciphering non-verbal communication. Considering non-verbal communication is more revealing than the word, individuals from diverse cultures than the social worker may pose a challenge for the social worker in the therapeutic context (Eleftheriadou, 2003). In addition, language difficulties may lead to meanings becoming unclear further contributing to the communication challenges for the social worker. Social workers may utilize diverse strategies when dealing with individuals from groups other than their own and especially in dealing with individuals from other cultures or race. First, social workers should be aware of their own prejudices and stereotypes concerning the client’s cultures and should avoid making stereotypical assumptions about the individuals (Garvey, 2007). At the same time, a great deal of communication may be required compared to when individuals have a shared cultural background. Trust also remains an important issue in shaping the outcome of the therapy. In extreme cases, language barriers may be addressed through use of interpreters although with potential complication where unconsciously or consciously, the interpreter may see himself or herself as superior to the client. The issue of diversity obviously remains a strong force that shapes social workers practice and more so client’s therapeutic outcomes. An understanding of the various ways that such differences shape the relationship between the client and the social worker is crucial for the social worker. More important for the social worker is to know how to address such challenges that may be evident especially in both verbal and non-verbal communication and the meaning that is derived from such communication. Communication and interpersonal process Another factor that may have an impact on communication outcomes between social workers and their clients is interpersonal process. The interpersonal process within the problem-management and opportunity development approach to helping further is based on the view that the rational problem-solving approach faces myriads of limitations. In the skilled helper model, the social worker aids the client through several stages that include clarifying their current status and the issues that require change, identify, choose and shape the problem, managing goals and in developing the way forward and ensuring that they follow through with the appropriate solution. Communication is crucial at each stage and will be impacted by the interpersonal process. The helper should be competent and this requires possession of the appropriate skills that are suitable to deal and help clients manage their problems. The helpers must practice those skills that will make them competent helpers. The helping process involves communication so as not only to understand the client’s problems but also to be able to effectively address the client’s challenges. It is not possible to assist the client without gaining their trust and showing that you care for their problems beyond the professional duty that is assigned to an individual as a social worker. Empathy is one element that is of significant important in shaping the communication outcome within the helping process. Perry (1993) emphasizes that empathy is an indispensable guide in social workers intervention. Intervention with a person, family and the system requires empathy for successful outcome in social work. Egan (2009) asserts that the way clients approach the telling of their stories for instance may differ from one individual to another. Whereas some clients may tell their stories voluntarily, for others, they may take time before they open up to the social worker. In addition, whereas some clients may tell the core of the story, others may not immediately talk about the major issues and it is upon the social worker to identify the meanings in the stories. Even where clients may make it clear that they trust in a social worker, their behavior may indicate otherwise. This makes it very crucial for the social worker to establish a working relationship with the client. Without establishing such a relationship, the communication between the helper and the client will be largely affected and the outcome for the client and the social worker may not be appropriate. Understanding how best to communicate with the client within the interpersonal process requires that the social provide appropriate feedback in the communication process. For instance, the helper may let the client know that he or she has been listening keenly by repeating part of what the client has said. The client should also be aware that the helper is concerned about him or her. Understanding that the clients may worry of how they may be perceived by the helper and so on may help the helper to adequately array such fears and offer the best help for the clients. Egan (2009) suggests that interpersonal communication competence involves not only being good at the individual communication skills but also being able to marshal them in dialogue. Such a dialogue constitutes four requirements. First, turn taking, which is an indication of the interactive nature of dialogues is based on the view that speaking in monologues for the helper or client may not add value. The next step is connecting, is reflected in what the helper and the client says. What the helper says should connect to what the clients say and what the clients say should connect to the helper. Mutual influencing is where both parties are open to being influenced by each other and is reflective of the social influence dimension of counseling. Finally, the process should involve co creating outcomes and in this case, good dialogue should benefit both parties. Based on this approach, the impact on the theme of communication is obvious. Helpers should understand the impact of the process on communication and on the outcome of their social work. References Brammer, R. (2011). Diversity in counseling. New York: Cengage Learning. Eleftheriadou, Z. (2003) Cross-cultural Counseling Psychology. In Woolfe, R., Dryden, W. & Strawbridge, S. (eds) Handbook of Counseling Psychology (2nd ed.). London: Sage. Garvey, D. (2007). Indigenous Identity in Contemporary Psychology: Dilemmas, Developments, Directions. South Melbourne: Thomson. Egan, G. (20o9). The skilled helper: a problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. (10th ed.)(Chapter 3) California: Thomson Brooks/Cole. Perry, R. (1993) Empathy: Still at the Heart of Therapy: The Interplay of Context and Empathy. A.N.Z. Journal Family Therapy. 14, 2, 63-74. Read More