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A Qualitative study of mental health practices with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Clients

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Practitioners are expected to be culturally competent in order to offer appropriate counselling to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) clients in Australia. However, not much is known about their practices and therapeutic experiences with CALD clients. Using a qualitative approach, 15 mental health professionals from different disciplines were interviewed about the counselling process as well as their practice with CALD clients. Participants who had worked with CALD clients in a range of settings were invited to participate. Themes identified by the thematic analysis highlighted the importance of awareness and skills over knowledge, suggesting that respect and rapport could compensate for a lack of cultural knowledge. Further, practitioners reported that knowing where to find cultural information as it was required was more important than being expected to know this cultural knowledge. The findings supported concepts from existing models of multicultural competence and identified concrete practices associated with these constructs, thereby narrowing the gap between the theory and practice of cultural competence.

Source: QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology)

Authors: Nigar G. Khawaja, Philip Lathopolous

Language: English

Topic: Counseling Practices and Supervision

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Australian Psychological Society, Charles Darwin University

OpenAlex ID: W101319165

FWCI: