Multicultural CBT: The Basics
Define Multicultural psychotherapy
provision of competent and ethical interventions to “culturally diverse” clients
What is a marginalized group?
ANSWER: groups that are perceived negatively in society which can result in separation from mainstream society
True or false? It is important for a therapist to have cultural competence during the therapy process for understanding that individuals from marginalized groups have their own lived experiences that are unique to their background/culture
ANSWER: True
Does a therapeutic stance only apply to CBT?
No the guidelines apply to all etic approaches NOT just CBT
Define ethnocentrism, and explain why it should be avoided in Multicultural CBT
Ethnocentrism is seeing your own culture as superior to others, taking your own culture as the norm, and it should be avoided during Multicultural CBT because it results from implicit bias and this type of psychotherapy focuses on the awareness and appreciation of human diversity.
Define power and privilege from a multicultural counseling perspective
ANSWER: Power: ability to decide who has access to resources. Privilege: advantages and benefits of a dominant group in society.
What is the term a CBT therapist should be familiar with for teaching about psychological or behavioral principles related to the client’s difficulties?
ANSWER: Psychoeducation
Define Cognitive Restructuring.
Technique that encourages clients to examine their thought process for faulty logic and irrational or automatic thoughts
Fill in the blanks. Culture is both (blank) in contexts, and (blank) in psychological processes.
external, internal
What is the function of an etic vs. an emic approach?
ANSWER: Etic: operates under the assumptions that prevention and intervention approaches are universal and to use treatment approaches in a cross-cultural manner. Emic: challenges the assumptions that mental health difficulties are of the same nature among cultures; more culturally-sensitive
In the therapeutic stance, why should therapists initiate conversation about experiences of marginalization?
ANSWER: To openly address concerns about differences/similarities and to show clients that these issues can be openly discussed in therapy
Give an example of a standard disputing question?
"Am 100% sure people will judge me based on my skin color?" (or an example similar to that)
What is intersectionality and how does it play a role in Multicultural CBT?
Intersectionality is the interconnected nature of multiple social categorizations such as race, gender, and class as they apply to a given individual or group, creating systems of disadvantage and discrimination. Intersectionality plays a role in Multicultural CBT because experiences of an individual in multiple marginalized groups is the main topic of these therapy sessions.
How is addressing framework used?
ANSWER: It allows clinicians to attend diverse backgrounds/experiences while keeping their own backgrounds in mind.
Why is it considered a _______ for a therapist to question the fears of an individual from a marginalized group?
ANSWER: Microaggression. Because their negative thoughts are rational based on their experiences
Are marginalized groups more likely to have negative thoughts that are rational or irrational due their experiences?
rational
Why is multicultural competence so important for a therapist during a session of Multicultural CBT?
Multicultural competence is a set of skills in which a therapist must have to be able to effectively and respectfully communicate and treat individuals of different cultures, and because Multicultural CBT revolves around culture, and an individual’s respective cultural experiences, multicultural competence is of extreme importance.
Why is multicultural competence important?
ANSWER: It is important because it allows more favorable outcomes among clients; it is more effective when higher levels of it are intact because it can better the mental health of people who come from marginalized groups
In cognitive restructuring, give an example of a client expressing an automatic thought and a multiculturally competent disputing question
ANSWER: Client: people will judge me and think I am stupid because I am Black. Therapist: “What evidence do you have that you are stupid?”
Give an example of how a Clinician should initiate conversations about experiences of marginalization
- Can discuss some of their own identities
-Discuss client concerns about potential differences or similarities