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Many mental health professionals have noted that racial and ethnic factors may act as impediments to counseling. Misunderstandings that arise from cultural variations in verbal and nonverbal communication may lead to alienation and/or an inability to develop trust and rapport, An analysis of the generic characteristics of counseling reveals three variables that interact in such a way as to seriously hinder counseling with third-world groups: (a) language variables-use of standard English and verbal communication; (b) class-bound values-strict adherence to time schedules, ambiguity, and seeking long-range solutions; (c) culture-bound values-individual centered, verbal/emotional/behavioral expressiveness, client to counselor communication, openness and intimacy, cause-effect orientation, and mental and physical well-being distinction. These generic characteristics are contrasted with value systems of various ethnic groups. Implications for counseling are explored Counseling may be viewed legitimately as a process of interpersonal interaction and communication. For effective counseling to occur, the counselor and client must be able to appropriately and accurately send and receive both verbal and nonverbal messages. Although breakdowns in communication often occur among members who share the same culture, the problem becomes exacerbated among people of different racial or ethnic backgrounds. Many mental health professionals have noted that racial or ethnic factors may act as impediments to counseling (Carkhuff &

In view of the growing interest in the influence of cultural factors in psychological assessment, this article critically evaluates assessment issues with Asian American populations. Examined are issues in (a) the extent and symptoms of psychopathology, (b) personality assessment, and (c) face-to-face clinical assessment. It is argued that, without understanding cultural factors, researchers and practitioners may draw inappropriate and invalid conclusions. Cultural factors are important not only in providing a context for interpreting assessment outcomes but also in suggesting appropriate conceptual and methodological strategies. Suggestions are made for improving assessment strategies and for testing the limitations and generality of constructs.Clinical psychologists have become increasingly aware of limitations in the assessment tools used to evaluate the psychological status of ethnic minority groups. These limitations are particularly apparent when assessment instruments have not been standardized or validated on these groups and when the ethnic individuals are markedly different from mainstream Americans (Brislin, Lonner, & Thorndike, 1973). Yet, assessment must proceed. The clinician who encounters a culturally dissimilar client is often required to make an evaluation of the client; researchers interested in cross-cultural comparisons frequently must use psychological tests; and mental health planners or administrators need to evaluate the well-being of all Americans.This article discusses the impact of cultural variables on the clinical and personality assessment of Asian Americans. Several points are made. First, assessment tools and strategies have generated findings that often portray Asian Americans in an inaccurate or inconsistent manner. Second, an understanding of cultural values forms a context from which one can interpret assessment results and test hypotheses. Third, new strategies in assessment are needed for researchers and practitioners to draw more valid conclusions regarding Asian Americans. These three points are applied to our discussion of the extent and symptoms of psychopathology, the personality characteristics, and the clinical assessment of Asian Americans. In view of the paucity of research on Asian Americans, we have used other available research findings, including data from overseas Asian populations, to provide information and to illustrate problems in assessment. Before summarizing and critically evaluating our research and the research of others, we will briefly describe the Asian American population. Asian American PopulationAsian Americans currently number over 3'A million individuals in the United States and constitute one of the fastest growing minority populations. Since 1975, over 700,000 refugees

Tested the view that Asian Americans are nonassertive and the possibility that they display differential assertiveness depending on situational variables. To determine if race of the individual with whom they are interacting is an influencing variable on assertion in Asian Americans, 51 Chinese-American and 25 Caucasian undergraduate males were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: role playing a series of 13 situations requiring assertion with an Asian experimenter or role playing the same situations with a Caucasian experimenter. Ss also completed the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Fear of Negative Evaluation Questionnaire, and Rathus Assertiveness Schedule. Results indicate that Chinese-Americans were as assertive as Caucasians on all behavioral measures and that the race of experimenter was not an important variable in the performance of Asians. Consistent with previous studies, significant differences on self-report measures were obtained. Chinese-Americans were more likely to report anxiety in social situations, greater apprehension in evaluative situations, and lower assertiveness than Caucasians. (35 ref)