Multicultural ethics in rehabilitation services

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation professionals are required to be competent in serving multiculturally diverse individuals in a manner that promotes empowerment and full engagement. Multicultural competency is critical for accurate clinical assessment and diagnosis and for effectively serving a diverse population of clients. OBJECTIVE: The major objective of this paper is to promote multicultural competency and sensitivity by increasing knowledge and awareness of ethical considerations for multicultural populations in rehabilitation settings. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic tools and ethical decision-making models that integrate multicultural considerations are discussed, and recommendations for building multicultural competency are provided.

The Model Does Matter II: Admissions and Training in APA–Accredited Counseling Psychology Programs

This study collected information on the acceptance rates, admission standards, financial assistance, student characteristics, theoretical orientations, and select outcomes of American Psychological Association—accredited counseling psychology programs (99% response rate). Results are presented collectively for all 66 counseling programs as well as separately for practice-oriented PhD, equal-emphasis PhD, and research-oriented PhD programs. Practice-oriented programs accepted more applicants (29%) than equal-emphasis or research-oriented programs (19% and 17%); however, they offered less full funding (30%) than equal-emphasis (72%) or research-oriented programs (83%). Average Graduate Record Examination scores (594 quantitative, 552 verbal) and average grade point averages (3.57) were strong and similar across programs. Approximately 70% of incoming students were women, 29% ethnic and racial minorities, and 8% international students. On average, 89% of students secured an accredited internship as part of their 5.5-year-long program. The research-driven portrait of doctoral training in counseling psychology is of highly competitive, multiculturally diverse, and theoretically pluralistic programs in which the training model does matter in several respects.

Using Professional Leadership to Promote Multicultural Understanding and Social Justice

Social justice icons, like Rosa Parks, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and César Chávez, known for their tireless, courageous leadership initiating societal changes that have benefited many, lead the way for contemporary professional psychologists. These leaders opened pathways for inclusive principles and practices in education, employment, and political contexts. At the same time, professional leadership on behalf of multicultural and social justice issues in professional organisations and other contexts is known to be challenging. Biases and assumptions, micro-aggressions, and ignorance of experiences with interpersonal oppression are communicated daily. In multiculturally diverse global societies, social justice leadership is in great demand. Psychologists are encouraged to develop multicultural competencies in educational, research, and organisational practices and emulate the social justice icons.

Communication Theory and Training Approaches for Multiculturally Diverse Organizations: Have Academics and Practitioners Missed the Connection?

While a number of articles have looked at the importance of multicultural training in the workplace over the past 30 years, there is little concrete agreement that documents the common fundamental elements of a “successful” diversity initiative. A review of the training literature suggests the importance of human communication theory and practice without including important research, methodologies, and practice from the communication discipline. This article examines formal diversity approaches, provides examples from the literature of several successful diversity initiatives in larger organizations, identifies the limited use of communication-based approaches in diversity training, and discusses the importance of integrating communication theory and practice in future training efforts.