Use of a Personal Cultural Perspective Profile (PCPP) in developing counsellor multicultural competence

Abstract

Abstract. This article explores the origin, design, applications and advantages of the Personal Cultural Perspective Profile (PCPP) in developing counsellor multicultural competence.

Diversity Identity Development Training: Theory Informs Practice

“…Variables such as time orientation, verbal and nonverbal communication patterns, family structure, thinking or reasoning style, spirituality, and interpersonal orientation are among the most helpful, especially when participants are required to assess their own relationship to each one. Often the author uses the Personal Cultural Perspective Profile (PCPP), a 14-item cultural educational and training tool, that she has developed to ease this cultural self-assessment (Ramsey, 1994). Following a didactic orientation, the author employs cultural simulations such as "BaFa BaFa" (Shirts, 1977) or Pedersen's (1994) "Outside Experts" to place participants in a state of dissonance regarding what Ponterotto and Pedersen (1 993) refer to as positive prejudices towards their own group and negative prejudices towards other groups.…”

“…To minimize this self-protective withdrawal, trainers have to establish a climate that supports diversity. One of the most effective ways of doing this is to examine participants' current experiences in terms of previously presented cultural variables such as those found on the PCPP (Ramsey, 1994). Communication difficulties are often the result of individual differences on these cultural variables, whereas variable commonalties suggest communication bridges that promote interpersonal understanding and enable participants to identify with one another.…”

A mixed-method study of psychologists’ use of multicultural assessment.

“…Several models of MCA have been proposed within psychology, some of which are frameworks that can be used to understand the influence of culture, while others serve as models to guide clinicians through the process of MCA. Examples of popular frameworks for integrating culture into conceptualization and diagnosis include Personal Dimensions of Identity (Arredondo & Glauner, 1992), the Cultural Assessment Interview Protocol (Grieger, 2008), the Personal Cultural Perspective Profile (Ramsey, 1995), the Person in Culture Interview (Berg-Cross & Chinen, 1995), Sinacore-Guinn’s (1995) diagnostic window, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) Cultural Formulation Interview (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), and the ADDRESSING model (Age and Generational Differences, Disability-acquired, Disability-developmental, Religion and Spiritual Orientation, Ethnic and Racial Identity, Sexual orientation, Socioeconomic status, Indigenous heritage, National Origin, Gender; Hays, 2008). In each of these frameworks, suggestions for aspects of cultural background to attend to are provided, such as experiences of discrimination, acculturation level, disability status, and family influences, among others.…”

Monocultural Versus Multicultural Teaching: How to Practice What We Preach

“…In the classroom environment, I both explicitly and implicitly (by personal example) attempt to establish norms that affirm and support cultural diversity. For example, through the use of the Personal Cultural Perspective Profile (PCPP)a 14-item cultural continua educational tool developed by Ramsey (1994) to facilitate cultural self-awareness-as well as through a series of introductory cultural self-awareness exercises and simulations (discussed previously), extensive processing of the same, and exploration of the interactive classroom dynamics that ensue, I encourage students to see that cultural diversity is a natural, exciting, and enriching aspect of every individual. However, as Wehrly (1995) suggested, I also inform students that it is "normal," or natural, for them to experience many conflicting feelings as they learn more about multicultural counseling.…”

“…Through a discussion of the classroom dynamics that arise during such exercises, I then help students explore the relationship between culture and power; how power and powerlessness affect them personally, their clients, and the very process of counseling itself; and how to constructively confront and negotiate cultural conflicts at the individual, interactive, and societal levels of power. In my multicultural counseling course I encourage students to examine both overt and covert conflicts from the perspective of the cultural values' continua similarities and differences that we explored when reviewing Ramsey's (1994) Personal Cultural Perspective Profile. Students are then challenged to develop more effective ways of communicating with one another that build on their values' commonalties and help them negotiate those values that are different.…”