Multicultural Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale – Racial Diversity Form (MCSE-RD)

Remain flexible and accepting in resolving cross-cultural strains or impasses.

Manage your own racially or culturally based countertransference toward the client (e.g., over identification with the client because of his or her race).

Help the client to clarify how cultural factors (e.g., racism, acculturation, racial identity) may relate to her or his maladaptive beliefs and conflicted feelings.

Admit and accept responsibility when you, as the counselor, have initiated the cross-cultural impasse.

Encourage the client to express his or her negative feelings resulting from cross-cultural misunderstanding or impasses.

Assess the salience and meaningfulness of culture/race in the client’s life.

Resolve misunderstanding with the client that stems from differences in culturally based style of communication (e.g., acquiescence versus confrontation).

Help the client to identify how cultural factors (e.g., racism, acculturation, racial identity) may relate to his or her maladaptive relational patterns.

Take into account multicultural constructs (e.g., acculturation, racial identity) when conceptualizing the client’s presenting problems.

Manage your own anxiety due to cross-cultural impasses that arise in the session.

Respond in a therapeutic way when the client challenges your multicultural counseling competency.

Assess relevant cultural factors (e.g., the client’s acculturation level, racial identity, cultural values and beliefs).

Help the client to set counseling goals that take into account expectations from her or his family.

Openly discuss cultural differences and similarities between the client and yourself.

Address issues of cultural mistrust in ways that can improve the therapeutic relationship.

Help the client to develop culturally appropriate ways to deal with systems (e.g., school, community) that affect him or her.

Help the client to develop new and more adaptive behaviors that are consistent with his or her cultural background.

Repair cross-cultural impasses that arise due to problems in the use or timing of particular skills (e.g., introduce the topic of race into therapy when the client is not ready to discuss).

Help the client to utilize family/community resources to reach her or his goals.

Deal with power-related disparities (i.e., counselor power versus client powerlessness) with a client who has experienced racism or discrimination.

Take into account cultural explanations of the client’s presenting issues in case conceptualization.

Where appropriate, help the client to explore racism or discrimination in relation to his or her presenting issues.

Take into account the impact that family may have on the client in case conceptualization.

Deliver treatment to a client who prefers a different counseling style (i.e., directive versus non-directive).

Treat culture-bound syndromes (DSM-IV) for racially diverse clients (e.g., brain fag, neurasthenia, nervios, ghost sickness).

Assess culture-bound syndromes (DSM-IV) for racially diverse clients (e.g., brain fag, neurasthenia, nervios, ghost sickness).

Interpret standardized tests (e.g., MMPI-2, Strong Interest Inventory) in ways sensitive to cultural differences.

Select culturally appropriate assessment tools according to the client’s cultural background.

Use non-standardized methods or procedures (e.g., card sort, guided fantasy) to assess the client’s concerns in a culturally sensitive way.

Conduct a mental status examination in a culturally sensitive way.

Encourage the client to take an active role in counseling.

Evaluate counseling progress in an on-going fashion.

Respond effectively to the client’s feelings related to termination (e.g., sadness, feeling of loss, pride, relief).

Keep sessions on track and focused with a client who is not familiar with the counseling process.

Assess the client’s readiness for termination.

Help the client to articulate what she or he has learned from counseling during the termination process.

Identify and integrate the client’s culturally specific way of saying goodbye in the termination process.