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The Impact of Bias and Cultural Competence on Therapists' Clinical Judgment of Arab American Clients

Switzer, Melissa A
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3607-1284
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1433272977

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, Psychology.
Abstract The present study investigated the relationship among explicit biases against Arabs/Arab Americans, diagnosis, prognosis, and perceived cultural competence. Individuals of Arab descent are at heightened risk for prejudice and discrimination due to events such as those that occurred on September 11, 2001 (Moradi & Hasan, 2004; The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund, 2009). The participants for this study included 161 advanced psychology graduate students and predoctoral interns. For participants who were of the traditional age (25-34 years old) for advanced graduate psychology training, a small negative relationship was found between perceived cultural competence and less explicit biases towards Arab individuals in the predicted direction. This negative relationship between perceived cultural competence and explicit biases towards Arabs was also found within the ethnic minority participants. Higher perceived cultural competence predicted a lower severity of diagnosis of a hypothetical Arab client, but only for the 25-34 years old participants. Higher levels of explicit biases against Arabs predicted a better prognosis of a hypothetical Arab client, but only for the male participants. This relationship had a small effect size and it was not in the predicted negative direction. These results contribute to the current literature, as this topic has previously been unexamined in the literature. These findings may offer implications for diversity education for graduate programs and internships.
Anna Ghee, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
51 p.
Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Mental Health; Middle Eastern Studies; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Social Psychology
clinical judgment bias; racial bias; explicit bias; Arab psychology; Arab Americans; clinical judgment; cultural competence; psychotherapy

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Switzer, M. A. (2015). The Impact of Bias and Cultural Competence on Therapists' Clinical Judgment of Arab American Clients [Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1433272977

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Switzer, Melissa. The Impact of Bias and Cultural Competence on Therapists' Clinical Judgment of Arab American Clients. 2015. Xavier University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1433272977.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Switzer, Melissa. "The Impact of Bias and Cultural Competence on Therapists' Clinical Judgment of Arab American Clients." Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1433272977

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

xavier1433272977
470
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Xavier University Psychology and OhioLINK.