Collectivism and Psychotherapy
Running head: PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COLLECTIVISM: THE POTENTIAL
Psychotherapy and Collectivism: The Potential for Value Compatible Treatment
Joe Enright
University of Saskatchewan
PSY 850.3
Dr. Michelle Presniak
Psychotherapy and Collectivism: The Potential for Value Compatible Treatment Increasing cultural diversity in the Western world has made the role of culture in the context of psychotherapy an increasingly important issue for consideration. The populations of many Western countries have growing ethnic minority segments. In Canada, up to 250, 000 new immigrants arrive each year, the vast majority from non-Western countries, including 60% from Asia (Statistics Canada, 2009). This influx of non-ethnic majority individuals has significant implications for the mental health community. This is due to the many mental health, and treatment difficulties faced by minorities, including: a greater risk of developing mental health problems, underutilization of mental health services, early disengagement and termination of therapy, poor therapy satisfaction, and less positive therapy outcomes (e.g. Plants & Sachs-Ericsson, 2004; Ayalon & Young, 2005; Markowitz, Spielman, Sullivan & Fishman, 2000). These difficulties may be at least partially attributed to the fact that the majority of the theories and interventions utilized by the field of psychotherapy, originated in Western Europe and North America (Ivey, 1993). Additionally, a strikingly small number of therapists in North America identify themselves as ethnic minorities (< 10%), creating the potential for considerable difference in cultural values between therapist and minority clients (Johnson, 2001). Cultural incompatibility of the model of therapy and/or therapist with the cultural values of the client, has been pointed to as an impediment to successful therapeutic outcomes for minorities (e.g. Terrell & Terrell, 1984; Atkinson, 1983; Constantine, 2002; Farismadan et al.,
Psychotherapy and Collectivism: The Potential for Value Compatible Treatment
Joe Enright
University of Saskatchewan
PSY 850.3
Dr. Michelle Presniak
Psychotherapy and Collectivism: The Potential for Value Compatible Treatment Increasing cultural diversity in the Western world has made the role of culture in the context of psychotherapy an increasingly important issue for consideration. The populations of many Western countries have growing ethnic minority segments. In Canada, up to 250, 000 new immigrants arrive each year, the vast majority from non-Western countries, including 60% from Asia (Statistics Canada, 2009). This influx of non-ethnic majority individuals has significant implications for the mental health community. This is due to the many mental health, and treatment difficulties faced by minorities, including: a greater risk of developing mental health problems, underutilization of mental health services, early disengagement and termination of therapy, poor therapy satisfaction, and less positive therapy outcomes (e.g. Plants & Sachs-Ericsson, 2004; Ayalon & Young, 2005; Markowitz, Spielman, Sullivan & Fishman, 2000). These difficulties may be at least partially attributed to the fact that the majority of the theories and interventions utilized by the field of psychotherapy, originated in Western Europe and North America (Ivey, 1993). Additionally, a strikingly small number of therapists in North America identify themselves as ethnic minorities (< 10%), creating the potential for considerable difference in cultural values between therapist and minority clients (Johnson, 2001). Cultural incompatibility of the model of therapy and/or therapist with the cultural values of the client, has been pointed to as an impediment to successful therapeutic outcomes for minorities (e.g. Terrell & Terrell, 1984; Atkinson, 1983; Constantine, 2002; Farismadan et al.,