White Privilege and Multicultural Counseling Competence: The Influence of Field of Study, Sex, and Racial/Ethnic Exposure

Abstract

This study explores the association between white privilege attitudes and multicultural counseling competencies among white European-American graduate students ( N = 298) in clinical psychology and social work. Results revealed a significant positive association between white privilege attitudes and multicultural counseling competencies. Social work students reported significantly greater levels of white privilege awareness in comparison to clinical psychology students. Female participants reported greater levels of multicultural awareness. The results of this study confirm the assertion that white privilege attitudes are associated with multicultural counseling competencies. Implications of these results for theory, clinical practice, and training were reviewed.

Student Attitudes Toward Religious Diversity and Implications for Multicultural Competence

“…Although the scholarship on religion and spirituality in social work practice is increasing there is less emphasis on non-Western religions (Graham & Shier, 2009). This may be due to rather limited definitions of multiculturalism that emphasize race, ethnicity, and minority status, and in predominantly White societies, the Euro-centric attitudes of practitioners that reflect White privilege (Fellin, 2000;Mindrup, Spray, & Lamberghini-West, 2011). All of this suggests a need to enhance the "spiritual" dimension of the biopsychosocial framework in social work education (Graham & Shier, 2009).…”

Understanding Unearned Privilege: An Experiential Activity for Counseling Students

“…McIntosh (2001) describes this dynamic as White privilege and points out that most White people are unaware of the privilege they experience. Components of White privilege include mostly invisible, unacknowledged, and unearned advantages or immunities to social problems that White people experience (McIntosh, 2001;Mindrup et al, 2011). Becoming aware of this privileged status is essential in the development of empathic therapeutic relationships with ethnic-minority clients (Ancis & Sanchez-Hucles, 2000).…”

“…As awareness of their privileged status emerges, White students may respond with feelings of guilt, anger, and shame (Mindrup et al, 2011;Parker & Schwartz, 2002). These strong emotions can suppress a White person's further exploration of how they may have unknowingly benefited from their privileged status.…”

“…Also, White graduate students who have developed multicultural competence are more likely to recognize and evaluate their experience of White privilege (Manglitz, 2003). Lack of awareness of White privilege hinders the ability of White counselors to develop multicultural counseling competencies (Mindrup et al, 2011).…”

“…To develop multicultural competency that includes awareness, knowledge, and skills (Arredondo et al, 1996), counselors and counseling students need to identify privileges they personally experience. For White counseling students, "counselor awareness of own assumptions, values, and biases" (Arredondo, 1999, p. 103) means developing awareness of how they personally benefit from their existence in a societal structure that privileges White people (Mindrup, Spray, & Lamberghini-West, 2011 …”