Cultural sensitivity: Problems and solutions in applied and preventive intervention

Applied and preventive intervention research must consider cultural diversity as a matter of course, not only for reasons of social justice, ethical acceptability, and effectiveness, but given major historical and demographic changes in the United States. This article raises several issues commonly encountered in such research—from key conceptual issues surrounding the construct of race, ethnicity, culture, and minority status, to the conceptualization, design, recruitment, measurement, delivery, data analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of an intervention—and suggests possible solutions aimed at fostering genuine cultural sensitivity while satisfying the demands of rigorous scientific inquiry. This article is not a guide to the do's and don'ts of cultural sensitivity, but rather an attempt to stimulate discussion in an area that should be of concern to all psychologists interested in applied and preventive intervention.