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Scholars have utilized the Minority Stress Model to explore external and internal stressors, coping mechanisms, social support and mental health outcomes for sexually marginalized populations. However, scarce studies examine Latinx sexually marginalized experiences and associations within the model. Thus, the goal of this study was to integrate sexually marginalized Latinx experiences in the Minority Stress Model. The theoretical frameworks utilized were Minority Stress Theory, Intersectionality and Experiential Theory rooted in the Couple and Family Therapy field. First, an explanation of the Minority Stress Model, influences of prominent Latinx cultural factors (i.e., tradition, familism, gender, and acculturation) in model processes, and a proposed Latinx Minority Stress Model is provided. Further, clinical implications are discussed through intersectional multicultural competency and Experiential Theory techniques. Second, a quantitative study with a sample comprised of 76 Latinx lesbian women in romantic relationships will be discussed. Regression analysis indicated that participants with family closeness and positive romantic relationship quality reported lower internalized heterosexism (i.e., internal stress). Additionally, higher internalized heterosexism outcomes predicted higher reports of anxiety and depression. Positive relationship quality perception also statistically mediated internalized heterosexist thoughts and depression. Implications for clinical work are discussed using Experiential Theory. Finally, research and clinical implications are examined through an integration of the proposed Latinx Minority Stress Model and quantitative analysis results. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

The achievement gap is still an epidemic in America and many schools struggle with identifying the reasons that their students of color are not achieving at the same rates as their White peers. This review of the literature uncovers some of these reasons and gives counselors ideas for how they can help these students achieve appropriately. Throughout the literature the disproportionate ratio between the overwhelming majority of White school counselors and educators and the growing number of students of color is clear, meaning that Whites in educator roles are over-represented compared to the demographics of the student body. Also, it is evident that the education that counselors have received in the past, and are still receiving, has been lacking in multicultural competency standards. These are just a few of the reasons for the emotional disconnect that students of color feel with the education system and counselors in particular, which makes the job of the counselor difficult when trying to help all children be successful, as is mandated by the American School Counselor Association and NCLB. The literature suggests that White school counselors can become multiculturally competent and can improve school climates to embrace diverse cultures, which in turn increases the chances of student success. Counselors are important change agents in schools and can help to close the achievement gap. / text

Through the use of an analog methodology and a factorial experimental design, the current study investigated the effects of counselors' race and multicultural competency on counselor preference for Black participants. Eighty-seven African American college students participated in an online or computer-administered study. The African American multiculturally competent counselor received significantly higher counselor effectiveness ratings than did the White multiculturally competent counselor. Also, the correlations between racial identity ideologies and counselor effectiveness were examined within each condition of race and multicultural competency. Racial Identity was measured with the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Sellers, Rowley, Chavous, Shelton, & Smith, 1997). The findings from this study may assist counselors and researchers in understanding how potential African American clients perceive counselors based on their race and multicultural competency and how client's racial identity may affect African American clients' perceptions of counselors' effectiveness.

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Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Joyce Baptist / The purpose of the current study is to examine what factors contribute to how marriage and family therapy (MFT) programs address multicultural competency training and to understand the support mechanisms of the training process. A sequential explanatory mixed-method design was utilized to evaluate MFT training programs. First, a Multicultural Survey, adapted from the Multicultural Competency Checklist (Ponterotto, Alexander, & Griegor, 1995), was used to gain a preliminary understanding of the masters MFT field regarding multitcultural competency training. Out of the 70 MFT program directors contacted, 39 program directors or program representatives responded to the survey (55.71% response). Qualitative interviews from 8 participants (program directors, n = 7; program representative, n = 1) representing each geographical region (Northeast, n = 2; South, n = 2; Midwest, n = 2; West, n = 2) were used to examine programs’ multicultural competency training content, program context and training processes. Five themes emerged from the data: 1) internal program dynamic, 2) external program factors, 3) stakeholders, 4) faculty recruitment, and 5) cross-program collaboration. General systems theory, process theory and the logic model were utilized to conceptualize the results (Kellogg, 2004; Rossi, Lipsey, & Freeman, 2004; White & Klein, 2002).

Racial and ethnic minority populations suffer disproportionally from mental health disparities in the United States (Dillon et al., 2015; Holden et al., 2014). Research has indicated that a lack of culturally competent care contributes to these disparities (Holden & Xanthos, 2009). As multicultural competencies (American Psychological Association [APA], 2002; Council of National Psychological Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Interests, 2003) have been widely endorsed and implemented in professional organizations and training programs, research on their need and usefulness has increased over the last three decades (Worthington et al., 2007). However, the majority of research on multicultural competencies has relied on analogue studies, college students, and trainees as participants (Ridley & Shaw-Ridley, 2011; Worthington et al., 2007). The current study contributed to the multicultural competency literature by including perspectives from real clients with diverse backgrounds in community settings, along with assessing therapist multicultural competency (MCC). The study examined the relationship between therapist (n = 28) multicultural competency (MCC) and psychotherapy outcomes of clients (n = 2024) from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds in a community mental health agency. Therapist MCC did not have a statistically significant positive relationship with treatment outcome. Therapist MCC also did not have a statistically significant positive relationship with reliable or clinically significant change in treatment outcome. Results do not indicate any mediating effect of therapist MCC between race and treatment outcomes. Gender predicted overall treatment outcomes, clinically significant change and reliable change in treatment. Findings suggest cultural variables may have played a role in treatment outcomes given the differences in treatment outcomes for female clients, despite the lack of association found between therapist MCC and treatment outcomes. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.

Counseling Psychology has emphasized the importance of using multicultural and social justice frameworks in psychotherapy to avoid reenacting in session the privilege and oppression dynamics that exist in larger society. People of Color have historically underutilized psychotherapy services and have higher attrition rates when they do attend therapy, even though they have been more likely to face more sources of psychological distress (Kearney, Draper, & Baron, 2005; Sue & Sue, 2008). Additionally, White therapists have been over-represented in professional and training settings (Fouad & Arredondo, 2007; Hays & Chang, 2003). Add to that the fact that therapists have been trained in and practice psychotherapy theories developed primarily by White men and you have a system of counseling that works for some and not all. Thus, White therapists could be at risk for harming their clients of Color, and possibly their White clients as well, because of the utilization of these Euro-centrically biased ways of conceptualizing and treating clients (Mindrup, Spray, & Lamberghini-West, 2011). In this study, I examined the impact of therapist-reported White privilege attitudes on client-reported counseling outcomes and the therapeutic relationship. Participating therapists (N = 36) were recruited from a community mental health agency in the southeast and administered measures of White privilege attitudes, multicultural knowledge and awareness, and motivation to control prejudiced reactions. Outcome and therapeutic relationship data from clients of participating therapists, seen between fall 2012 and fall 2013 semesters, were provided by the agency. Therapist self-reported White privilege attitudes were not directly predictive of therapy outcomes and the therapeutic alliance. Therapists’ willingness to confront White privilege, White privilege remorse, and apprehension about addressing White privilege moderated the effects first session outcome scores and client gender had on number of sessions attended by clients. Client race/ethnicity was not directly predictive of therapy outcome scores or therapeutic alliance scores. However, client race/ethnicity varied significantly across therapists, suggesting that therapists were differentially effective. Results of this study indicate that therapist White privilege awareness has an effect on outcomes and the therapeutic alliance, although the relationship is complicated. Study limitations, strengths, and implication for future research are discussed.