Enhancing Client‐Validating Communication: Helping Discouraged Clients in Cross‐Cultural Adjustment
Year: 1992
Type: article
Abstract: Moving from a familiar milieu to a foreign culture often involves complex.diverse, and multifaceted experiences of psychosocial adjustment.Culture shock, discouragement, and homesickness often accompany a drastic change in life-styles and the natural and social environments (Furnham & Bochner. 1986;Oberg, 1960;Taft, 1977).In addition to the task of adjusting to a new linguistic and cultural system, foreign nationals experience disequilibrium and inner conflicts (Atkinson.Morten, & Sue, 1979; Gullahom 8r Gullahom, 1963).Therefore, themes such as cultural disorientation, loneliness, self-doubt, and identity crisis often emerge in cross-cultural counseling.When working with ethnically distinct clients, the counselor is required to be sensitive to the personal meaning of leaving home and adjusting to a foreign culture and a new value system.How can the counselor work effectively and sensitively with discouraged ethnic clients with limited communication skills?The model of self-validation (Ishiyama.1989) provides a general conceptual framework for understanding and helping clients in cross-cultural transition.This article is a practical elaboration of our previous work (Ishiyama.1989; Westwood & Ishiyama, 1990).Its main thrust is that the counseling relationship can be a significant source of client validation.Our discussion is based on a premise that active client involvement in the cross-cultural counseling process will increase when they are given opportunities to validate themselves and get validated for 50
Authors: F. Ishu Ishiyama, Marvin J. Westwood
Institution: University of British Columbia
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2158032778