Cultural diversity : a primer for the human services / Jerry V. Diller.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 336-345) and index.

1. Introduction -- 2. What it means to be culturally competent. Demographics -- Reactions to changing demographics -- Why become culturally competent? -- The fear and pain associated with moving toward cultural competence -- Speaking personally about cultural competence -- A model of cultural competence -- 3. Understanding racism, prejudice, and white privilege. Defining and contextualizing racism -- Institutional racism -- Cultural racism -- Racial consciousness among whites -- 4. Understanding culture and cultural differences. What is culture? -- Culture vs. race in the definition of group differences -- The dimensions of culture -- Comparing cultural paradigms in America -- Are theories of helping culture-bound? -- Key aspects of the helping process -- Collective personality : the example of Arabs/Muslims -- Conflicting cross-cultural service models -- Adapting generic models vs. evolving culturally sensitive models summary -- 5. Bias in service delivery. The impact of social, political, and racial attitudes -- Who are the providers? -- Dissatisfaction among providers of color -- The use of paraprofessionals -- Cultural aspects of mental health service delivery -- Racial microaggressions and the therapeutic relationship summary -- 6. Working with diverse children, parents, and families. Community psychology and the vulnerability of children and families of color -- Three scenarios -- Child development -- Parenting -- Bicultural children and families -- Culturally sensitive therapy with children -- 7. Mental health issues. Racial identity and group belonging -- Assimilation and acculturation -- Stress -- Psychological trauma -- Drug and alcohol use -- 8. Addressing ethnic conflict, genocide, and mass violence. An alternative view of the trauma experience and its treatment -- Historic trauma and unresolved grief among Native Americans -- South Africa and its truth and reconciliation commission -- Holocaust survivors, Nazis, their children, and reconciliation -- 9. Working with culturally diverse clients. How is cross-cultural helping different? -- Conceptualizing cross-cultural work -- Hays's addressing framework -- Preparing for cross-cultural work -- Assessing culturally diverse clients -- Making culturally sensitive DSM-IV diagnoses -- Establishing rapport and the first session -- Two case studies -- 10. Working with Latino/a clients : an interview with Roberto Almanzan. Demographics -- Family and cultural values -- Our interviewee -- The interview -- 11. Working with Native American clients : an interview with Jack Lawson. Demographics -- Family and cultural values -- Our interviewee -- The interview -- 12. Working with African American clients : an interview with Veronique Thompson. Demographics -- Family and cultural values -- Our interviewee -- The interview -- 13. Working with Asian American clients : an interview with Dan Hocoy. Demographics -- Family and cultural values -- Our interviewee -- The interview -- 14. Working with Arab and Muslim American clients : an interview with Marwan Dwairy. Demographics -- Family and cultural values -- Our interviewee -- The interview -- 15. Working with white ethnic clients : an interview with the author. Demographics and cultural similarities -- Our interviewee -- The interview -- 16. Some closing thoughts. Gaining more knowledge -- Learning about client cultures -- Finding support for cross-cultural work -- Appendix A : Case of Elena -- Appendix B : Case of Theo.

This volume helps students build a general understanding of what cultural diversity is and why it is important. The text also helps students to better understand their own prejudices so that they can be more effective counselors when working with clients of different cultures. It focuses on effective methods of providing cross-cultural services, the process of cross-cultural service delivery, and cultural information on specific client populations. The author covers concepts such as racial microaggressions, therapeutic interviews with individuals from collective family systems, enforcing professional standards, and culturally sensitive treatment of children. This work also provides students with hands-on clinical suggestions and cautions through interviews with professionals from different ethnic backgrounds.