RUNNING HEAD: Review of Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training
Review of Guidelines on Multicultural
Education, Training, Research, Practice,
And Organizational Change for Psychologists
Christine Godfrey
University of Phoenix
Review of Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists.
When choosing to become a professional in the field of Psychology, each individual must understand and adhere to certain guidelines to ensure the best possible treatment for their clients. Each guideline is important; however this paper will utilize the first two for review and assessment.
The first guideline, “ Psychologists are encouraged to recognize that, as cultural beings, they may hold attitudes and beliefs that can detrimentally influence their perceptions of and interactions with individuals who are ethically and racially different from themselves” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2002). The context and purpose of this guideline is to make psychologists and other mental health professionals aware that the cultural exposure and experiences that formed their world views (which may be influenced by such things as race, gender, belief systems, values, environment, etc) may not be the same as those they treat. The reading material discussed the process of categorizing people based on perceived beliefs/behaviors that ‘fit’ the group into which they are placed. Often a person may be categorized due to personality traits, racial features, and provided information. This can become a problem as the interpretations made by the psychologists may be judgmental and incorrect which may lead to biased opinions/behaviors by the psychologist towards the client as well as inhibit communication as the client may feel they are not being heard (APA, 2002).
While a psychologist may not do so consciously, their perceptions may lead to negative judgments or ‘role assignments’...