Culturally Appropriate
Intervention Strategies
CHAPTER 8
Key Areas
Correct Diagnosis/Tendency to Pathologize Cultural Differences
Correct Interpretation of Client Communication Style
Use of Culturally Appropriate Intervention Techniques
Betty- A Case Study
Aspects of Betty’s
communication
style normative to
Chinese culture,
including lack of
eye contact, are
construed as
pathological.
Betty’s traditional Chinese cultural norms
about family obligation are transformed
into a pathology of enmeshment.
Techniques used by
Betty’s counselor are
interpreted by Betty
as being
inappropriate based
on normative
Chinese culture, and
she stops therapy.
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Watch this video
Four Areas of Nonverbal Communication
1) Proxemics
- The study and use of interpersonal space
2) Kinesics
- The use of bodily movements in communication
- Includes facial expression, eye contact, gestures, and posture.
3) Paralanguage
- The use of vocal cues other than words to convey meaning
4) High-Low Context Communication
- The degree to which a given communication relies on context for its meaning.
Proximics
-
In Euro-American culture, <18 inches is typically considered
intimate, 18 inches to 4 feet personal, and 4 feet to 12 feet social.
- Personal space can also imply power dynamics, with taking up
more space denoting greater power
- Groups that tend to communicate with greater proximity that
Euro-Americans are typically comfortable with include African
Americans, Latin Americans, Africans, Arabs, Indonesians, and the
French.
- Consider proxemics when arranging furniture in your office.
Kinesics
- Facial Expressions are an important vehicle for conveying meaning in a counseling session.
- There is a cultural context to facial expressions.
- In many Asian cultures, for example, not showing strong emotions on the face is considered a
sign of maturity, whereas in Euro-American culture, it can be seen as a sign of being closed off to
one’s own emotions.
- Eye Contact is very important in therapy, and can be diagnostic. However, it must be
understood in its cultural context.
- Many Asian cultures refrain from eye contact as a show of respect
- Euro Americans tend to look away while speaking, but make eye contact while listening,
whereas in African American culture, it is common to make eye contact while speaking and
look away while listening.
- Hand Gestures differ in different cultures.
Paralanguage
- Examples
- Volume
- Tone of Voice
- Tempo of Speech
- Inflection
- Silence
- Cultures can vary from Euro-American culture in either direction
- East Asians tend to use a lower volume than Euro-Americans
- Arabs tend to use a higher volume than Euro-Americans
- Many different cultural meanings of silence
- Euro-Americans tend to use it as an indicator that they are finished speaking
- British and Arabs use it as a moment for private thought
- Russians, Spanish, and French see it as a sign that the parties to a conversation have agreed.
- Chinese and Japanese pause between points without using silence to indicate that they are
finished speaking.
High-Low Context Communication
- High-Context Communication relies heavily on the context and nonverbal pieces of
communication to deliver its meaning
- Low-Context Communication relies mostly on the words used to deliver its meaning.
- Euro-American communication tends to be LC.
- African American communication tends towards HC.
Nonverbals and Bias
Nonverbal communication can expose the stereotypes we hold
Nonverbal communication can activate the stereotypes we hold
Nonverbals as a Reflection of Bias
- Nonverbals tend to be less under conscious control than other parts of communication, and
therefore may reveal attitudes that we are attempting to suppress.
- Facial expression more controllable than hand movement, which is more controllable than the
rest of the body.
- Counselor bias may be revealed through nonverbal communication, which is one important
reason that the counselor must address his or her own bias.
- Women and non-whites tend to be better at reading nonverbal communication than white
males.
Nonverbals as a Trigger for Bias
- In America, there are elements of institutionalized racism that are embedded into the way EuroAmericans process nonverbal communication.
- For example, stereotypes like the “Angry Black Man” are easily activated by the HC nature
of African American communication.
- Facets of African American communication style, such as closer proximity, more animated
use of hand gestures, or differences in the use of eye contact, can trigger these stereotypes.
- Cross-cultural differences with immigrant cultures can cause miscommunication
- As we saw with Betty, some cultural norms from non-American cultures have different
meanings in American culture
- This can lead to misattribution of negative emotional affect when the client is simply acting
out a cultural norm.
Theoretical Orientations and
Multicultural Communication
- Most minority groups in America tend to prefer a more active-directive theoretical orientation,
according to research.
- Example: Some Asian Americans are uncomfortable with insight-oriented counseling strategies,
and expressions of strong emotions. A logical, rational, and solution-oriented approach may be
more effective.
- Studies show that African American counselors are more likely to use expressive skills (such as
interpretation) while White counselors are more likely to use attending skills.
The Counseling Relationship as a
Microculture
- The therapist-client dyad can be seen as a microculture.
- When that microculture is a poor match, problems can ensue
- Early termination
- Low level of rapport
- Cultural oppression of the client
Options For Working with a Client of
a Different Cultural Background
- Seek additional training or experience.
- Seek consultation with a more experienced counselor.
- Gain awareness of personal communication style and have the ability to modify it as the
situation calls for it.
- Refer client to another counselor.
Conclusions
- We must seek to learn our own biases and to work through them and minimize them
- We must learn our own communication style, and be aware of how it impacts the way we
are perceived by our clients
- We must become aware of other cultural patterns of communication, in order to avoid
misinterpreting differing cultural norms as pathologies