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Highlights 1 2 3 • Over the past 10 years, the population age 65 and over increased from 37.2 million in 2006 to 49.2 million in 2016 (a 33% increase) and is projected to almost double to million in 2060. • Between and 2016 the population age 60 and over increased 36% from 50.7 million to 68.7 million. • The 85 and over population is projected to more than double from 6.4 million in 2016 to 14.6 million in 2040 (a 129% increase). • Racial and ethnic minority populations have increased from 6.9 million in 2006 (19% of the older adult population) to 11.1 million in 2016 (23% of older adults) and are projected to increase to 21.1 million in 2030 (28% of older adults).

The goal of this study is to analyze preferences for relational styles in encounters with mental health providers across racial and ethnic groups. Four primary themes describe what patients want from a mental health provider: listening, understanding, spending time, and managing differences. However, using contextual comparative analysis, the findings explicate how these themes are described differently across African Americans, Latinos, and non‐Latino Whites, uncovering important qualitative differences in the meaning of these themes across the groups. The article suggests that closer attention to qualitative preferences for style of interaction with providers may help address disparities in mental health care for racial and ethnic minorities. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1–14, 2010.