Reducing intergroup anxiety: Applying an imagined contact intervention with counselors-in-training

This study assessed the impacts of an (elaborated) imagined contact intervention (eICI) with graduate-level counseling students (N = 38) in a multicultural counseling course. Participant levels of intergroup anxiety were assessed, comparing those who completed an eICI versus those who did not. Intergroup anxiety decreased for both groups over time, albeit with a greater immediate reduction for those who received the ICI. Qualitative commentary suggests specific student learning from the activity.     

Perceived Collective Efficacy and Parenting Competence: The Roles of Quality of Life and Hope

Parents' perceptions of their parenting competence predict successful implementation of parenting tasks and contribute to their interest and involvement in parenting and to their children's development. Thus, identifying factors that contribute to parents' perceptions of parenting competence can help inform efforts to promote children's safety and well-being. The present study employs social disorganization theory to examine the relationship between collective efficacy and parents' sense of competence, measured along two dimensions: parental efficacy and parental satisfaction. It examines the direct association between the two constructs and whether the association is mediated by parent perceptions of their quality of life (QOL) and sense of hope. Data were collected from 198 parents residing in a neighborhood in southern Tel Aviv, Israel. The analyses indicated that high collective efficacy was directly associated with high parental efficacy, but not with high parental satisfaction. Using structural equation modeling, a mediation model was found whereby higher collective efficacy was associated with (a) higher QOL, which in turn was related to a greater sense of hope, which was linked with higher parental efficacy; and (b) higher QOL, which was directly associated with higher parental satisfaction. The findings provide further support to the idea that neighborhood characteristics play an important role in parents' ability to care for their children.     

Introduction to the Special Issue

The authors introduce the special issue of the Journal of Counseling & Development on “Integrating the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies Into Practice, Research, and Advocacy.” They first discuss the rationale and importance of the special issue, as well as the transformative opportunities that the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC; Ratts, Singh, Nassar-McMillan, Butler, & McCullough, 2015) have to influence counseling and the broader helping professions. Then they provide an overview the special issue articles and their respective contributions. They conclude by explicating the challenges and opportunities in integrating and implementing the MSJCC into counseling practice, research, and advocacy.     

The Past Guides the Future: Implementing the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies

The authors describe the ways in which the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC; Ratts, Singh, Nassar-McMillan, Butler, & McCullough, 2015) can be viewed from a human rights framework and as the latest iteration in the long history of the multicultural and social justice counseling competency movement. MSJCC implementation and integration are explored, and recommendations for innovating the MSJCC are described.     

Embodying the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competency Movement: Voices From the Field

This article illustrates counselors’ embodiment, over time, of the multicultural and social justice counseling competency movement leading to the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (Ratts, Singh, Nassar-McMillan, Butler, & McCullough, 2015). The authors discuss the multicultural and social justice counseling competency movement in the context of relationships as appropriate to the counseling field. Aligned with contemporary research perspectives, the authors focus on the lived experiences of 2 pioneering social justice and multicultural competency advocates, Drs. Patricia Arredondo and Derald Wing Sue. The authors integrate scholarship with these historical and personal perspectives, as well as their own, to demonstrate the ways in which people and movements drive counseling leadership and advocacy.     

A Preliminary Longitudinal Study of Multicultural Competence in Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate longitudinal changes in master’s-level counselor trainees’ (N = 78) self-perceptions of their multicultural counseling competence over the course of their counseling program. Multilevel modeling results indicated an increase in scores across 3 time points. The authors discuss study limitations and how counselors and counselor educators can incorporate the study’s findings into their practice and into the education and supervision of counselor trainees.     

A Validation of a Multicultural Competency Measure Among South Korean Counselors

The authors translated the California Brief Multicultural Competence Scale (CBMCS; Gamst et al., 2004), a measure of multicultural competence, into Korean for cross-cultural validation. An exploratory factor analysis followed by a confirmatory factor analysis on a sample of Korean counselors (N = 365) supported a 3-factor model: Multicultural Ability, Multicultural Knowledge, and Multicultural Awareness. The Korean version was deemed to possess sound psychometric properties, such as high test-retest reliability and criterion-related validity. Los autores tradujeron al idioma coreano la Escala Breve de Competencia Multicultural de California (CBMCS, por sus siglas en inglés; Gamst et al., 2004), un instrumento de medida de competencia multicultural, para su validación intercultural. Un análisis factorial exploratorio seguido de un análisis factorial confirmatorio sobre una muestra de consejeros coreanos (N = 365) respaldó un modelo de 3 factores: Habilidad Multicultural, Conocimiento Multicultural y Conciencia Multicultural. Se concluyó que la versión en coreano tenía propiedades psicométricas sólidas, como una alta fiabilidad de la repetición de las pruebas y una alta validez de criterio.     

Examining the Use of Digital Storytelling and Immersion in a Multicultural Counseling Course

This article explored the use of digital storytelling as a method to support multicultural counseling competency. Thematic analysis examined the experiences of 9 students who created a digital story through an immersion activity in a multicultural counseling course. Qualitative data revealed 4 themes: (a) initial discomfort with technology, (b) initial reservations with group work, (c) digital storytelling as a learning tool, and (d) multicultural counseling competency. Recommendations for counselor education and future research are provided. Este artículo exploró el uso de la narrativa digital como método para apoyar la competencia en consejería multicultural. Un análisis temático examinó las experiencias de 9 estudiantes que crearon una historia digital mediante una actividad de inmersión en un curso de consejería multicultural. Los datos cualitativos revelaron 4 temas: (a) una carencia inicial de familiaridad con la tecnología, (b) reservas iniciales en cuanto al trabajo en equipo, (c) la narrativa digital como herramienta de aprendizaje y (d) la competencia en consejería multicultural. Se ofrecen recomendaciones para la educación de consejeros e investigaciones futuras.     

全球化语境下的多元文化能力模型及其在跨文化合作中的应用

全球化带来了丰富的多元文化经验, 开阔了人们视野的同时, 也造成了认知负担, 进而可能引发对外文化群体的抵触情绪和排斥行为。多元文化经验的普遍性和两面性突显了对其进行合理管理和灵活应用的重要性。然而, 现有的文化能力的理论大多在全球化研究早期提出, 已经无法应对全球化带来的新变化。在文化会聚主义理论框架下, 将文化视为动态发展的系统, 建构以元知识为核心的多元文化能力模型将有助于深入理解全球化问题。新模型的效用检验计划从文化知识管理和群际接触应对两方面检验多元文化能力在跨文化合作情境中的效用与机制, 以期为全球化环境中个人与组织开展跨文化交流与合作的实践提供理论指导。     

Feminist identity and program characteristics in the development of trainees’ social advocacy

Feminism, multiculturalism, and social justice (SJ) are closely related constructs, with an important shared emphasis on societal barriers and client empowerment. Yet, research on the relationships between the three variables in their links to counselor advocacy remains scarce. Employing the Input–Environment–Outcome framework, this study examined the unique contributions of 235 female trainees’ feminist identity, training environment SJ supports, and training multicultural focus in explaining trainees’ advocacy using a three-step hierarchical MMLR model. Findings revealed that all three factors were important to trainees’ advocacy. However, the extent to which each factor influenced advocacy varied. For instance, the more strongly identified trainees were with the Feminist Identity Active Commitment stage, the more likely they were to engage at all four levels of advocacy. Conversely, the more aligned trainees were with Passive Acceptance, the less likely they were to empower clients. Moreover, although both training environment SJ support and multicultural focus were influential, SJ training environment was a better predictor of trainee’s advocacy than multicultural training environment. These findings not only highlight the distinctions between SJ and multiculturalism, but also argue for the importance of SJ training in addition to multicultural training. Implications for theories, training, and practice are discussed.