Symposia
Oppression and Resilience Minority Health
Tsotso Ablorh, M.A.
University of Massachusetts Boston
Boston, Massachusetts
Studies have documented the impact of clinician-related barriers to care for clients of color (Owen et al., 2017), highlighting the need for more studies of clinician interventions that are positively received by clients of color. With disparities in mental health access, satisfaction with treatment, and outcomes between Black people and other racial groups (Diala et al., 2000; Gómez, 2015; Lau et al., 2012) and the disproportionate impact of large-scale emergencies and disasters on Black people (Golestaneh et al., 2020; Ruprecht et al., 2021); there is a need for studies like the one presented here that explore what Black people find helpful in interactions with therapists, including Black people who would not attend existing therapy.
Culturally responsive therapeutic methods for racial minority groups largely encourage attitudes, knowledge, and skills in addressing culture in therapy (Hook et al., 2016; Sue et al., 1992). Although theories of cultural-responsiveness often acknowledge the negative impact of racial stereotyping, there is less emphasis in training and assessment of culturally-responsiveness on skillfully addressing the context of stereotyping in which clients of color exist. The current study was developed to directly examine Black participants’ responses to therapist interventions that acknowledge racial stereotyping.
This presentation will present the theoretical context for, and data from, a study of 98 Black participants who rated hypothetical therapist interactions depicting three types of therapist behaviors in response to small ruptures (Culturally Sensitive, Counterstereotypical, and Well-Intentioned but Harmful). Results indicate that interactions that acknowledge and address the context of stereotyping for Black people yielded positive responses on four variables that have been demonstrated to relate to therapeutic alliance and client retention: trust, belief in genuine investment, disclosing deeper feelings, and likelihood to return. Complexities of the data specific to ethnicity and ancestry will also be discussed.
Therapeutic methods that better meet the needs of marginalized groups of people are important, particularly in the event of a large-scale emergency. At these times, groups that have not been catered to in the development of therapeutic methods cannot be expected to fit their help-seeking behaviors into existing structures. Rather, it is likely more effective for therapists to adapt our methods to fit the contexts and constraints of potential clients’ lives.