Career Counseling: A Holistic Approach Chapter 9 Vernon G. Zunker

Career Counseling for Special Populations Career Counseling for Multicultural Groups Culture as complex concept Cultural differences in work-related activities Five major culture groups-Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans Skills for cultural competence Strategies for dealing with multicultural influences Mental health issues of cultural groups

A Global Society By the mid 21st Century the US will be a true multicultural society An increasingly diverse society will present significant challenges to all human service practitioners Career counselors are intent on developing career counseling objectives and strategies that will assist individuals of various ethnic groups

What is Culture? Researchers are in the early stages of studies to determine appropriate intervention strategies and assessment instruments for specific ethic groups There are examples of many meanings of culture Culture is a dynamic system of rules, explicit and implicit, established by groups in order to ensure their survival, involving attitudes, values, beliefs, norms and behaviors that are shared by a group Culture is a learned behavior. You may share some values, attitudes, and so on but from different cultures.

Cultural Differences in Work Related Activities Collective Cultures: Africa, Asia and Latin America (focus on the welfare of the group) Individuals strive to build solidarity. How different cultural groups view time and the importance of being on time How different groups view human nature can be important Personal Space and Privacy are cultural issues

Cultural Differences in Work Related Activities Power Distance-relationship between boss and subordinate Uncertainty Avoidance-how cultures deal with anxiety and stress Individualism/Collectivism-how the culture fosters individualism rather than group tendencies. Masculinity-fosters differences between sex Culture has an important role in work related values

The Challenge of Becoming Culturally Competent Counselors must develop appropriate services cross- culturally. Understand one’s assumptions, values and biases Understand the worldview of culturally different clients Develop appropriate intervention strategies and techniques

Traits of the Culturally Effective Counselor An ability to recognize which values and assumptions the counselor holds regarding the desirability or undesirability of human behavior Awareness of the generic characteristics of counseling that cut across many schools of counseling theory Understanding of th sociopolitical forces of oppression and racism that have influenced the identity and perspective of the culturally different

Traits of the Culturally Effective Counselor An ability to share the worldview of his or her clients without negating its legitimacy True electicism in his or her counseling

Five Major Cultural Groups African American Asian Hispanic Native American White

Some Mental Health Issues of Cultural Groups Anxiety Disorders-includes panic and fear Depression or Mood Disorders-Depression is a constant among cultures. Personality Disorders-Personalities are culturally unique. Somatoform Disorders-imagined illnesses Schizophrenia-occurs more in developing countries and is prevalent in Czechosloviakia, Denmark, England, India, and the Soviet Union.

Strategies for Dealing with Multicultural Issues Ethnicity and Gender Individualism and Collectivism Helping Clients to live and work in a Culturally Diverse Society Use role models and focus on individual potential.