Introduction to Cultural Introduction to Cultural DiversityDiversity

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Cultural Diversity: A Primer for the Human Services by Jerry V. Diller (2010, Paperback) Cultural Diversity: A Primer for the Human Services by Jerry V. Diller (2010, Paperback)

Why Culturally Different Clients Why Culturally Different Clients Underutilize Mainstream AgenciesUnderutilize Mainstream AgenciesMainstream agencies may inadvertently make Mainstream agencies may inadvertently make clients feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.clients feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.Clients may not trust the motives or abilities of Clients may not trust the motives or abilities of providers because of past experiences with the providers because of past experiences with the system.system.Clients may believe that they will not be Clients may believe that they will not be understood culturally or will not have their needs understood culturally or will not have their needs met in a helpful manner.met in a helpful manner.Clients may be unfamiliar with the kinds of Clients may be unfamiliar with the kinds of services available or come from a culture in services available or come from a culture in which services are conceived very differently.which services are conceived very differently.

What is Discrimination in This Context?What is Discrimination in This Context?

It is BEING UNAWARE: It is BEING UNAWARE: of of one’s ownone’s own prejudicesprejudices and how they may inadvertently and how they may inadvertently be communicated to clients;be communicated to clients;of differences in cultural style, interactive patterns, and of differences in cultural style, interactive patterns, and values, and how these can lead to miscommunication;values, and how these can lead to miscommunication;that many of the theories taught during training are that many of the theories taught during training are culture-boundculture-bound;;of differences in of differences in cultural definitions of health and illnesscultural definitions of health and illness as well as the existence of as well as the existence of traditional cultural healing traditional cultural healing methodsmethods; and; andof the necessity of matching treatment modalities to the of the necessity of matching treatment modalities to the cultural style of clients or of adapting practices to the cultural style of clients or of adapting practices to the specific cultural needs of clients.specific cultural needs of clients.

BaggageBaggage

Both clients and providers come to their Both clients and providers come to their interactions with baggage about the ethnicity of interactions with baggage about the ethnicity of the other.the other.– Clients may feel mistrust, anger, fear, suspicion, or Clients may feel mistrust, anger, fear, suspicion, or

deference.deference.– Providers may respond with feelings of superiority, Providers may respond with feelings of superiority,

condescension, discomfort, fear, or inadequacy.condescension, discomfort, fear, or inadequacy.

These reactions may be subtle or covered up, These reactions may be subtle or covered up, but they will be there.but they will be there.Providers must not take them personally.Providers must not take them personally.A good strategy is to acknowledge them and A good strategy is to acknowledge them and raise them as a topic for discussion.raise them as a topic for discussion.

Usefulness of Cultural CompetenceUsefulness of Cultural Competence

With clients from different culturesWith clients from different cultures

With clients who are different in other ways With clients who are different in other ways (besides culturally):(besides culturally):– ClassClass– Gender/gender identityGender/gender identity– AgeAge– GeographyGeography– Social and political leaningsSocial and political leanings– Ableness/disabilityAbleness/disability– Religion Religion

Terminology Used in the TextTerminology Used in the Text

Cultural diversity—Cultural diversity—the array of differences that exist among the array of differences that exist among groups of people with definable and unique cultural backgrounds.groups of people with definable and unique cultural backgrounds.Culturally differentCulturally different—used synonymously with—used synonymously with cross-cultural cross-cultural oror ethnic ethnic and implies that the client comes from a different culture and implies that the client comes from a different culture than the provider; suggests no value judgment about the than the provider; suggests no value judgment about the superiority of one culture over another.superiority of one culture over another.Culture—Culture—a lens through which life is perceived; each culture, a lens through which life is perceived; each culture, through language, values, personality and family patterns, through language, values, personality and family patterns, worldview, sense of time and space, and rules of interaction, worldview, sense of time and space, and rules of interaction, generates a phenomenologically different experience of reality. generates a phenomenologically different experience of reality. Thus, the same situation or event may be experienced and Thus, the same situation or event may be experienced and interpreted very differently depending on the cultural background interpreted very differently depending on the cultural background of individual clients and providers.of individual clients and providers.

Terminology, continuedTerminology, continued

Ethnic group—Ethnic group— any distinguishable people whose any distinguishable people whose members share a common culture and see themselves members share a common culture and see themselves as separate and different from the majority culture; their as separate and different from the majority culture; their observable differences frequently serve as a basis for observable differences frequently serve as a basis for discrimination and unequal treatment within the larger discrimination and unequal treatment within the larger society.society.Racial group Racial group oror race race—a biologically isolated, population —a biologically isolated, population with a distinctive genetic heritage. This biological with a distinctive genetic heritage. This biological concept does not mean the same thing as the concept concept does not mean the same thing as the concept commonly used to define group differences; that concept commonly used to define group differences; that concept of race is scientifically invalid.of race is scientifically invalid.People of Color People of Color oror Clients of Color— Clients of Color—terms used to refer terms used to refer to non-White clients.to non-White clients.

Terminology, concludedTerminology, concluded

Communities of Color— Communities of Color— collectives of ethnic groups who collectives of ethnic groups who share certain physical, cultural, language, or geographic share certain physical, cultural, language, or geographic origins/features; identified by the term or referent origins/features; identified by the term or referent preferred by members of that group (e.g., African preferred by members of that group (e.g., African Americans, Latinos/as, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, Latinos/as, Native Americans, and Asian Americans).Americans).Whites—Whites—members of the dominant or majority group members of the dominant or majority group members whose origins are Northern European. members whose origins are Northern European. White ethnics—White ethnics—dominant or majority group members dominant or majority group members whose origins are not Northern European.whose origins are not Northern European.

Examples of Problems, cont.Examples of Problems, cont.

Many Latinos/as and Asians, as immigrants, face Many Latinos/as and Asians, as immigrants, face ongoing dilemmas regarding assimilation, ongoing dilemmas regarding assimilation, bilingualism, and the destruction of traditional bilingualism, and the destruction of traditional family roles and values.family roles and values.Native Americans, as victims of colonization in Native Americans, as victims of colonization in their own land, have faced destruction of traditional their own land, have faced destruction of traditional ways and identities.ways and identities.African Americans, as victims of slavery, have African Americans, as victims of slavery, have faced similar issues.faced similar issues.White ethnics find themselves suspended between White ethnics find themselves suspended between two worlds—culturally different yet perceived, and two worlds—culturally different yet perceived, and often wishing to be perceived, as part of the often wishing to be perceived, as part of the majority.majority.

Assessing Clients’ Demographic Assessing Clients’ Demographic and Cultural Situationsand Cultural Situations

Ask about:Ask about:– Place of birthPlace of birth– Number of generations in AmericaNumber of generations in America– Family roles and structureFamily roles and structure– Language spoken at homeLanguage spoken at home– English fluencyEnglish fluency– Economic situation and statusEconomic situation and status– Amount and type of educationAmount and type of education– Amount of acculturationAmount of acculturation– Traditions still practiced at homeTraditions still practiced at home– Familiarity and comfort with Northern European lifestyleFamiliarity and comfort with Northern European lifestyle– Religious affiliationReligious affiliation– Community and friendship patternsCommunity and friendship patterns

Examples of Cultural RacismExamples of Cultural Racism