Cross-cultural Counselling Research Articles

Reliability and validity of adapted cross-cultural counselling inventory-revised on the sample of undergraduate counsellor trainees

<span lang="EN-US">The cross-cultural counseling inventory-revised (CCCI-R) is one of the limited instruments available to measure the observed multicultural counselling competence. Most studies utilized self-report multicultural counselling competence instruments. Therefore, for the benefit of counsellor educators and multicultural training in Malaysia, this study investigated the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the adapted CCCI-R in the local context. There were 38 supervisors who completed 205 the adapted CCCI-R for their respective counsellor trainees. As the result, internal consistency was found to be=.947, while construct reliability was found to be .968. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) yielded a convergent validity value of .909. The adapted CCCI-R factor structure, reliability, and validity were all verified in this study. Counsellor educators were able to successfully employ the CCCI-R across gender and ethnicity when rating counsellor trainees observed multicultural counselling competence due to its excellent reliability and validity.</span>

Cross-Cultural Counselling Supervision in Ukraine.

Counsellor educators face complex challenges in the advancement of the counselling profession internationally. One way the counselling profession in Ukraine has been developed is through the use of cross-cultural engagement between local supervisees and U.S.-trained international supervisors. This qualitative study examined the phenomenon of the cross-cultural supervisory experiences of twelve participants involved in transnational distance supervision among Ukrainian supervisees, and their U.S.-trained, non-Ukrainian supervisors. Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit participants’ descriptions of their supervisory experiences. Participants identified commitment to the supervisory relationship, the importance of felt supervisor support, shared resources to promote counsellor growth, and in-person meetings in the supervisee’s context prior to the start of the supervisory relationship as the most important aspects of supervision. The researchers highlight implications and propose recommendations for counsellor educators and supervisors desiring to implement cross-cultural or transnational supervision in different cultural contexts.

Intercultural Competence of Psychologists: Problems and Prospects of Study and Development

The article is concerned with the problem of cross-cultural training of psychologists. The author analyses various approaches to the definition and development of intercultural competence and highlights professional and ethical problems of psychological activity related to cultural competence/incompetence of specialists. Particular attention is paid to the specifics in training psychologists for cross-cultural counselling, the experience of organising psychological work in a multi-cultural environment, using the example of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), as well as some important aspects in how psychologists develop and manifest intercultural competence during ethnopsychological field studies. An analysis of the accumulated practical experience in a multicultural environment made it possible to identify the conditions for the successful development of cross-cultural competence, setting the psychologist’s value foundations and motivational readiness to communicate with people of other cultures. These conditions include: (1) a humanistic approach in psychology; (2) a subjectsubject approach to communication; (3) formation of scientific and professional thinking; (4) purposeful development of such mechanisms of understanding other people as decentration and reflection; and (5) mastering of conflict-resolution and group-work technologies. In this regard, the author concludes that the development of intercultural competence in the domestic psychologists’ training system requires not only a detailed discussion of ethical issues related to the psychologist’s activities or specifics of cross-cultural communication within the studied disciplines, but also the introduction of special cross-cultural communication development programmes and trainings in intercultural competence and cultural sensitivity. The cross-cultural training of psychologists can be based on the working model of ethnocultural competence proposed by T.G. Stefanenko. It is emphasized that the development of intercultural competence should involve not only an individual person but the entire professional community through research and open discussion of the current state of cross-cultural competence of psychologists as well as the entire complex of ethical issues.

Religious Tolerance of Minangkabau and Batak Ethnic Students in Xaverius Bukittinggi High School

This article is based on the results of a mini-research that aims to describe the religious tolerance of Minangkabau and Batak ethnic students at Xaverius Bukittinggi High School in the academic year 2019/2020. This research uses a quantitative approach. The steps in this research are conducting preliminary studies, literature studies, data collection, data analysts and conclusions. The population of this study, XII Bukittinggi ethnic group Minangkabau and Batak ethics XII grade students. Sampling with purposive sampling technique. Data collection using a questionnaire, data analysis techniques with normality, homogeneity, and T-test. The results of this study illustrate the religious tolerance of ethnic Minangkabau and Batak students dominated by the tolerant category. There was no significant difference in religious tolerance between ethnic Minangkabau and Batak students. However, differences in religious tolerance scores were found between ethnic Minangkabau students and Batak students on the aspect of maintaining independence in practising religion and respecting the practice of diversity. The Batak students are a minority population in Xaverius Bukittinggi high school while the majority are Minangkabau students population. Development of religious tolerance Students of the Minangkabau ethnic group and the Batak ethnic group at Xaverius High School tend to be equally tolerant and potentially more tolerant when the curriculum and education at the school are carried out properly. The results of this study can be used as consideration for developing religious-spiritual strength counselling and arranging cross-cultural counselling and guidance programs in high schools.

Cultural Intelligence in The Diversity of Science

The purpose of this paper is to conceptually and empirically analyze cultural intelligence from a variety of perspectives. Intensive conceptual and empirical studies of the trends in the dynamics of cultural intelligence in the perspective of the fields of psychology, sociology and organization are the research methods used. This paper is expected to contribute to the development of science in the field of multicultural services, especially cross-cultural guidance and counselling services. This paper is then expected to be one of the treasures of developing multicultural competencies in the implementation of guidance and counselling services.

Towards Effective Counseling Approaches and Contextual Factors Enhanced Diversity Collaboration

This study explored the counselling approach and contexual factors to enhance diversity collaborations among ethnic, religious people, teachers and parental involvement in Malaysian secondary schools. Specially, the study outlined cross-cultural counselling and related training approaches and effective factors that needs in Malaysian society. In particular, the researcher investigated the effectiveness of multi-ethnicity of students and diversity of approaches in their counselling contexts. Qualitative data were obtained from field survey while secondary data collected from various sources. The study focuses the main difficulties in general contexual literature, theoretical or ideological, and collaborative diversity approaches showing in the countries concerned. A qualitative case study approach was also represented on the experience of counsellors of eleven muslim schools in the Muar district through primary and secondary data analysis. The study recommended that effective counselling environment context enhanced diversity collaboration with their training models in various ways in relation to the contexual factors studied.

Enhancing multicultural counselling competencies and services

An increasingly diverse USA society challenges mental health professionals to provide culturally sensitive counselling to clients whose backgrounds are different from those of the service providers. Based on reviews of the current multicultural counselling competency standard, the purpose of this article is twofold: (a) to propose a strengthened standard - Enhanced Multicultural Counselling Competencies and (b) to infuse Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory into cross-cultural counselling services. The recommended counsellor competencies and the contextually based services aim to empower practitioners who serve various types of cross-cultural clients. Particularly, Chinese international students in the USA higher education are used as sample clientele because they account for the largest group among the rapidly growing number of international students. International students have greater vulnerability and counselling needs than domestic students and cultural groups. The article also provides a case example to illustrate the application of the recommended practices and implications for future research.

Constellation work principles, resonance phenomena, and shamanism in South Africa

The pioneering work of Bert Hellinger in ‘Familien-Stellen’ (constellation work) started in the 1970s in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was the beginning of the international therapeutic movement, which is contemporarily based on different theoretical and therapeutic intervention approaches. Since then, constellation work has received recognition in Europe, followed by the United States, Australia, and later Asia. Scientists and practitioners have contributed to its development. However, constellation work as a counselling and therapeutic intervention in African contexts has hardly been recognised and explored. This article explores principles and resonance phenomena in constellation work and their interlinkages with shamanism as a cross-cultural counselling intervention method. The study uses an empirical in-depth qualitative research approach within the phenomenological paradigm and semi-structured interviews with six constellation facilitators and participative observation. Findings provide insight into principles of constellation work in South Africa, explanations of the resonances and the knowing field phenomenon, the connection of constellation work and shamanism, as well as context-specific future directions. Thus, it provides theoretical and practical recommendations in African contexts and beyond.

Barriers and challenges in the practice of multicultural counselling in Malaysia: A qualitative interview study

Counsellors face a lot of problems and stressors in their daily lives. As a person, counsellors may face challenges to deal with their personal expectations and responsibilities in life, work, family and community. As a professional, counsellors may face difficulties in dealing with professional issues and ethical dilemmas in their professional practice such as countertransference and value conflicts. These raise issues concerning their perceived multicultural competence and the adequacy of their training. Informed by a multicultural counselling perspective and drawing on semi-structured interviews with 12 professional counsellors in Malaysia, this study discusses the types of barriers and challenges faced by Malaysian counsellors and how these challenges were manifested and addressed in the cross-cultural counselling sessions. Results revealed five emerging themes based on participant counsellors’ responses on the barriers and challenges encountered in their practice of multicultural counselling in Malaysia. These were challenges related to counsellors’, clients’, presenting issues’, third-party and specific contexts’ characteristics. Research implications for the education and training of counsellors in the specific Malaysian socio-political context are also discussed.

Cultural sensitivity and cultural competence: toward clarity of definitions in cross-cultural counselling and psychotherapy

The purpose of this study is to clarify definitions of cultural sensitivity and cultural competence in the literature on cross-cultural counselling and psychotherapy by examining the semantic relation between the two terms. These terms were included among ten cultural terms subjected to descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses. Descriptive analyses involved frequency count of the number of hits for each term across several search parameters, and of their co-occurrence in the literature. Multivariate analyses were multidimensional scaling supplemented by cluster analysis. Results indicated that the terms cultural sensitivity and cultural competence are salient and semantically associated in the psychological literature. Implications for cross-cultural training are discussed.

Cross-Cultural Counselling With International Students

AbstractThis article explores the issues for counsellors working with international students, particularly Asian international students. As globalisation has expanded people have tended to study overseas in great numbers, hence the increasing importance for professionals to examine counselling in this cultural speciality. In order to understand effective counselling, this article discusses the major problems faced by international students and suggests specific counselling strategies in the context of general guidelines for cross-cultural counselling.

Crosscultural Counselling for Japanese Adolescents Experiencing Acculturative Stress

The purpose of this article is to define and describe the issues relating to acculturation and acculturative stress. A proposed counselling approach for acculturative stress is presented and has been adapted from interventions for social phobia, which considers of the role of the crosscultural counsellor as well as models of cultural orientation and identity. Suggestions for counsellor preparation for dealing with culturally diverse clients are provided drawing upon resources and methods from the field of cultural anthropology. The intention of presenting these ideas and strategies will propose ways to assist minority groups, like international students, improve and maintain psychological wellbeing and quality of life. Finally, recommendations for further research in the areas of acculturation and acculturative stress are identified.

A Critical Asian Response to Issues and Debates in Cross Cultural Counselling

Cross cultural and multicultural counselling are regarded as the fourth force of counselling in western multicultural countries like the USA and Canada. Its development is affected by the drastic development of multiculturalism and globalisation of economy. In this essay, the writer tries to discuss controversies and debates in cross cultural counselling. Its development stimulates social workers and counsellors to think about the discrepancies and differences between the Asian traditional cultures and the Eurocentric American culture. Instead of following the western counselling models, social workers and counsellors in Asian countries may have to develop Asicentric counselling models in practice.

Cross Cultural Counselling in Japan

In this article, the author argues the tendency of the Japanese towards yokonarabi—paying too much attention to being the same as others and responding too readily to even slight differences. The foreign residents in Japan consist of immigrants of Korean descents, the oldcomers, who formed the major minority group, while the Chinese and the Latin American immigrants are the newcomers. The practice of cross cultural counselling will be dissimilar for the oldcomers and newcomers due to the different levels of assimilation to Japanese culture and customs. The most important focus when engaging in cross cultural counselling with them is to train the counsellors to communicate in the mother tongue, and to develop the non-verbal methods for therapy.

Issues and Challenges of Cross Cultural Counselling in Singapore

Singapore is a multicultural society comprising mainly of people with Chinese, Malay or Indian origin. This article examines the worldviews of the Chinese and Malay Muslim Singaporean from the perspective of how values and beliefs arising from different religious and cultural background impact on perceptions about social behaviours, life goals, problem-definition and problem-solving. The implications for cross cultural counselling at three levels of competence are discussed as well as the question of relevant models for social service delivery in a multicultural context.

An Evaluation of Marital Relationship and Its Implications for Cross Cultural Counselling of Kadazandusun and Sino-Kadazan Couples in Sabah, Malaysia

This study examined the marital relationship of Kadazandusun couples and Sino-Kadazan couples in Sabah. The sample comprised 20 homogenous and 20 intermarriage couples. Each couple participated in the research by completing the Marital Evaluation Checklist, which comprised reasons for marrying, common marital problems and expectations for counselling. An analysis of variance procedure was performed to investigate the differences between the homogenous and intermarriage dyads. The intermarriage couples expressed greater problems in personal characteristics and marital relationship, and had greater expectations for counselling than their Kadazandusun counterparts. The implications of these findings for cross cultural counselling are discussed. Implications for future research are also examined.

Working with issues of difference in supervision of counselling

In this paper, I describe some meanings of the word ‘difference’ and connect these to aspects of the supervisory relationship, roles, tasks and process. Describing some theoretical views of the origins of the sense of difference and the significance of this for the work of the supervisor and supervisee, I suggest that, for maturational processes to take place, the development of a potential space is essential. Ideas are drawn from cross-cultural counselling, but are applied broadly to the client-counsellor-supervisor triangle of relationship, particularly the emphasis on the need to address difference and the possibility of proxy-self communication. I give examples from supervisory practice to illustrate.

Ethnopsychiatry: Counselling immigrants in France

The plight of immigrants in France and the United States bear a striking similarity. This article highlights the struggle of immigrants in the French society and the discrimination they face. A French academic discipline calledethnopsychiatry has arisen to help immigrants in France. It appears to be very similar in purpose to cross-cultural counselling, but draws more heavily in practice from traditional healing techniques used in Africa. The pioneeringstrides of ethnopsychiatry in the cross-cultural counselling paradigm are discussed.

Challenges and transformations: Counselling in a multicultural context

During the last two decades counselling in a multicultural context has been on the increase with more and more training programmes now including issues of race, culture and ethnicity. This has led to numerous approaches, for example transcultural, inter-cultural, cross-cultural, multicultural, Afro-centric, anti-racist and black feminist, which define counselling with minority groups. Although many of these approaches have a sound theoretical base, they nevertheless remain marginal in terms of convincing the minority communities of their value and effectiveness. This is clearly seen in the pre-mature termination and lack of participation by minorities in counselling and therapy. The chief criticism against counselling throughout this period is that, it has remained essentially, Eurocentric, ethnocentric and individualistic. Culture-sensitive counsellors and counselling within a "culture fit" model have been suggested as a way of making the process more appropriate to a diversity of cultures. Furthermore, this has led to some practitioners strongly advocating the inclusion of socio-economic and political constructs as part of a broader definition of multicultural counselling. For example, the issues of power and influence, cultural hegemony, racism and masculinities are becoming key schemas in cross cultural counselling practices. The challenge for multicultural counselling, in the next decade, would be to include traditional healing practices as part of its discourse, if it is to encourage the active participation of ethnicminorities. This paper is an attempt to explore some of these challenges and highlight some of the transformations that are taking place within multicultural counselling. Finally, through a discussion of a case vignette, the paper illustrates the need to accommodate traditional healing methods in counselling the culturally diverse client.

Cross-Cultural Career Counselling

When conducting a search of the literature concerning the career decision-making process undertaken by Vietnamese Australian tertiary students, various papers concerning career counselling with ethnic minorities and cross-cultural career counselling have been consulted. This paper presents the main points in the literature because of their relevance to the Australian context. The knowledge and skills required of career counsellors who work with such clients, as described in these texts, highlight the challenges facing these professionals.