Multicultural Counseling Competencies Flashcards

Which of the following best describes 'intersectionality' as it applies to multicultural counseling?

Answer: The recognition that individuals hold multiple social identities simultaneously that interact to shape experience and privilege/oppression

Intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, recognizes that race, gender, class, sexuality, and other identities overlap and intersect to create unique experiences of privilege and oppression.

A counselor working with a refugee client who has recently resettled in the United States should be aware that the client may be experiencing:

Answer: Acculturative stress, potential trauma from displacement, grief for losses, and challenges navigating a new cultural environment

Refugees often experience compounded stressors: trauma from persecution/displacement, grief for home and community losses, acculturative stress, and systemic barriers in the new country.

The concept of 'White privilege' in multicultural counseling refers to:

Answer: Unearned social advantages and freedoms that white individuals experience due to racial identity, regardless of socioeconomic status

White privilege refers to unearned advantages in a racialized society that accrue to white-identified individuals regardless of individual merit or intention.

A counselor notices that a client who immigrated from a culture with high power distance consistently defers to the counselor's opinions and avoids questioning recommendations. The MOST culturally informed response is to:

Answer: Recognize this as a culturally normative communication style and adapt the counseling approach accordingly

High power distance cultures normalize deference to authority figures; counselors should recognize this as cultural context and thoughtfully adapt their approach rather than pathologizing it.

According to Cross's Racial Identity Development Model, a Black individual in the 'Immersion-Emersion' stage would MOST likely:

Answer: Immerse themselves in Black culture and history, potentially exhibiting strong anti-White sentiments

In the Immersion-Emersion stage, individuals actively immerse themselves in Black culture and may simultaneously reject or devalue White culture and norms.

A counselor treating a Native American client who incorporates traditional healing practices into their mental health care should:

Answer: Explore the client's cultural practices with respect and consider how to integrate traditional and Western healing approaches

Cultural responsiveness requires respecting and integrating clients' cultural healing practices — traditional practices and Western treatment can be complementary.