A Mixed-Method Study of Psychologists' Use of Multicultural Assessment

• Published in: Professional psychology, research and practice research and practice, 2017-04, Vol.48 (2), p.131-138
• Main Authors: Edwards, Lisa M., Burkard, Alan W., Adams, Hadiya A., Newcomb, Shirley A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Continuing education; Female; Human; Knowledge; Male; Multiculturalism; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Psychological Assessment; Psychologists; Strategies; Training
• ISSN: 0735-7028; 1939-1323
• DOI: 10.1037/pro0000095

Despite practice guidelines and ethical standards that provide imperatives for clinicians to utilize multicultural assessment (MCA), little is known about how the average psychologist actually conducts MCA. The current mixed-method study was designed to investigate clinicians' training and use of MCA practice strategies. Participants were 239 (107 male, 131 female, 1 other gender) licensed psychologists residing in the United States and Canada who were recruited from the American Psychological Association practice directory to complete an online survey. Quantitative items on the survey included questions about the number and utility of MCA-related graduate courses and supervision experiences, and strategies and frameworks used when conducting MCA. Open-ended questions provided expansion about factors that were helpful and not helpful in graduate training experiences. Findings suggested that only 75% of participants had taken a course that included MCA-related content, but almost all of those participants found the material they learned to be helpful. Graduate courses with MCA-related content were perceived as more helpful than graduate supervision, and the most helpful aspects of courses and supervision were related to increasing knowledge and awareness about MCA. Almost 40% of the sample reported using no theory or framework for conducting MCA, and participants differed in their use of MCA strategies. Findings are discussed in relation to the training and continuing education of clinicians and future directions for research.