Multicultural Social Work Practice

DERALD WING SUE, PHD, is a Professor of Psychology and Education in the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also holds a joint appointment with the School of Social Work.MIKAL N. RASHEED, PHD, LCSW, is a Professor of Social Work and Director of the Master of Social Work Program at Chicago State University and Director of the Urban Solutions Institute at Chicago State University.JANICE MATTHEWS RASHEED, PHD, LCSW, is a Professor of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago's School of Social Work.

• About the Authors xixPart I: Principles and Assumptions of Multicultural Social Work Practice 1Chapter 1 Cultural Diversity and Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 3Chapter Learning Objectives 3Overview 4Voices of Diversity and Marginalization 4African American Male 4Gay American 4Female Worker 5Person with a Disability 5Person in Poverty 6Individual from an Undocumented Immigrant Family 6Diversification of the United States and Implications for Social Work 10The Multiple Dimensions of Human Identity 14Individual Level 16Group Level 17Universal Level 18Individual and Universal Biases in Social Work 18Multicultural Challenges in Social Work Practice 20Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 22Summary 23Chapter 2 Theoretical Foundations for Multicultural Social Work Practice 29Chapter Learning Objectives 29Overview 30Theoretical Perspectives for Competent Multicultural Social Work Practice 30Ecological Systems Perspective 31Strengths Perspective 33Social Justice Perspective 35Critical Perspective 37Antiracism as a Social Work Agenda 39Intersectionality Perspective 43Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 53Summary 54Chapter 3 Becoming Culturally Competent in Social Work Practice 59Chapter Learning Objectives 59Overview 60Defining Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice 60Four Components of Cultural Competence 62Competency 1: Becoming Aware of One’s Own Values, Biases, and Assumptions about Human Behavior 62Competency 2: Understanding the Worldviews of Culturally Diverse Clients 63Competency 3: Developing Appropriate Intervention Strategies and Techniques 64Competency 4: Understanding Organizational and Institutional Forces That Enhance or Diminish Cultural Competence 66Working Definition of Cultural Competence 67Multidimensional Model of Cultural Competence in Social Work 69Dimension 1: Group-Specific Worldviews 70Dimension 2: Components of Cultural Competence 71Dimension 3: Foci of Cultural Competence 77What Is Multicultural Social Work Practice? 79Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 81Summary 82Part II: Systemic Oppression and Social Justice 87Chapter 4 Understanding the Sociopolitical Implications of Oppression and Power in Social Work Practice 89Chapter Learning Objectives 89Overview 90A Clash of Expectations 90Effects of Historical and Current Oppression 95Ethnocentric Monoculturalism 96Belief in Superiority 96Belief in the Inferiority of Others 97Power to Impose Standards 97Manifestation in Institutions 98The Invisible Veil 98Historical Manifestations of Ethnocentric Monoculturalism 99Impact of Ethnocentric Monoculturalism in Helping Relationships 102Credibility, Expertness, and Trustworthiness in Multicultural Social Work Practice 105Credibility of the Social Worker 105Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 110Summary 111Chapter 5 Microaggressions in Social Work Practice 117Chapter Learning Objectives 117Overview 118What Did He Really Mean? 118Microaggression as a Form of Oppression 121Microaggressions and the Clash of Sociodemographic Realities 122Microaggressions and the Invisibility of Unintentional Expressions of Bias 131Microaggressions and the Perceived Minimal Harm 133The Catch-22 of Responding to Microaggressions 133Categories of Microaggressions 133Social Work Practice and Microaggression 136Microinsults and Direct Social Work Practice 137Microinvalidations and Direct Social Work Practice 140Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 144Summary 145Part III: Racial/Cultural Identity Development 149Chapter 6 Racial/Cultural Minority Identity Development 151Chapter Learning Objectives 151Overview 152Who Am I? 152Racial/Cultural Identity Development Models 154Black Identity Development Models 156Other Racial/Ethnic Identity Development Models 157Feminist Identity Theory 158Working Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model 158Conformity Stage 159Who Am I—White or Black? 160Dissonance Stage 165Resistance and Immersion Stage 166Introspection Stage 168Integrative Awareness Stage 170Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 172Summary 173Chapter 7 White Racial Identity Development 179Chapter Learning Objectives 179Overview 180“What Does It Mean to Be White?” 180Forty-Two-Year-Old White Businessman 180Twenty-Six-Year-Old White Female College Student 181Sixty-Five-Year-Old White Male Construction Worker (Retired) 181Thirty-Four-Year-Old White Female Stockbroker 182Twenty-Nine-Year-Old Latina Administrative Assistant 182Thirty-Nine-Year-Old Black Male Salesman 183Twenty-One-Year-Old Chinese American Male College Student (Majoring in Ethnic Studies) 183The Invisible Whiteness of Being 184Understanding the Dynamics of Whiteness 185Models of White Racial Identity Development 187The Hardiman White Racial Identity Development Model 188The Helms White Racial Identity Model 191The Process of White Racial Identity Development: A Descriptive Model 196Conformity Stage 196Dissonance Stage 197Resistance and Immersion Stage 199Introspection Stage 200Integrative Awareness Stage 201Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 202Summary 203Part IV: Practice Dimensions of Multicultural Social Work 207Chapter 8 Barriers to Effective Multicultural Clinical Practice 209Chapter Learning Objectives 209Overview 210Cultural Barriers: A Case Example 210Generic Characteristics of Counseling and Therapy 214Sources of Conflict and Misinterpretation in Clinical Practice 218Culture-Bound Values 218Class-Bound Values 226Language Barriers 232Generalizations and Stereotypes: Some Cautions 233Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 234Summary 235Chapter 9 Cultural Styles in Multicultural Intervention Strategies 241Chapter Learning Objectives 241Overview 242“Speaking from My ‘Cultural Space’”: A Case Example 242Communication Styles 244Nonverbal Communication 246Proxemics 246Kinesics 247Paralanguage 250High- versus Low-Context Communication 252Sociopolitical Facets of Nonverbal Communication 254Nonverbals as Reflections of Bias 255Nonverbals as Triggers of Biases and Fears 258Differential Skills in Multicultural Social Work Practice 261Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 264Summary 265Chapter 10 Multicultural Family Social Work Interventions 269Chapter Learning Objectives 269Overview 270Family Life, Mental Health, and Culture: A Case Study 270Family Systems Approaches and Assumptions 276Issues in Working with Racial/Ethnic Minority Families 279Racial/Ethnic Minority Reality 279Conflicting Value Systems 280Biculturalism and Acculturation 280Ethnic Differences in Minority Status 281Ethnicity and Language 283Ethnicity and Social Class 284Multicultural Family Social Work: A Conceptual Model 285People-Nature Relationship Dimension 286Time Dimension 288Relational Dimension 290Activity Dimension 291Nature of People Dimension 293Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 294Summary 296Chapter 11 Religion, Spirituality, and Indigenous Methods of Healing 301Chapter Learning Objectives 301Overview 302Religion, Spirituality, and Social Work Education 302Religious Affiliation and Ethnic Identity 306Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and Religious Identity 307African American Religious Identity 307Latino/Hispanic Religious Identity and Affiliation 308Native American Religious Practices 309Muslim Americans and Religious Affiliation 309Spiritual Assessments in Social Work Practice 310Indigenous Spirituality and Healing 311Spirit Attacks: The Case of Vang Xiong 312The Legitimacy of Culture-Bound Syndromes: Nightmare Deaths and the Hmong Sudden Death Phenomenon 314Causation and Spirit Possession 318Shaman as Therapist: Commonalities 320Principles of Indigenous Healing 321Holistic Outlook, Interconnectedness, and Harmony 324Belief in Metaphysical Levels of Existence 325Spirituality in Life and the Cosmos 327Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 330Summary 333Chapter 12 Multicultural Organizational Change: Antiracist Practice and Social Justice 341Chapter Learning Objectives 341Overview 342Where Do Social Workers Do Social Work? 342Monocultural versus Multicultural Organizational Perspectives in Social Work 345Lesson 1: A failure to develop a balanced perspective between person focus and systems focus can result in false attribution of the problem 348Lesson 2: A failure to develop a balanced perspective between person focus and system focus can result in an ineffective and inaccurate treatment plan that is potentially harmful to the client 349Lesson 3: When the “client” is an organization or a larger system and not an individual, a major paradigm shift is needed to attain a true understanding of the problem and identify the solution 349Lesson 4: Organizations are microcosms of the wider society from which they originate. As a result, they are likely to be reflections of the monocultural values and practices of the larger culture 350Lesson 5: Organizations are powerful entities that inevitably resist change and possess within their arsenal many ways to force compliance in individuals 350Lesson 6: When multicultural organizational development is required, alternative helping roles that emphasize systems intervention must be part of the role repertoire of the social worker 351Lesson 7: Although remediation will always be needed, prevention is better 351Models of Multicultural Organizational Development 352Culturally Competent Social Service Agencies 355Antiracist Practice and Social Justice 359Principle 1: Having Intimate and Close Contact with Others 360Principle 2: Cooperating Rather Than Competing 361Principle 3: Sharing Mutual Goals 362Principle 4: Exchanging Accurate Information 363Principle 5: Sharing an Equal Relationship 364Principle 6: Supporting Racial Equity by Leaders and Groups in Authority 366Principle 7: Feeling Connected and Experiencing a Strong Sense of Belonging 367Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 368Summary 369Chapter 13 Evidence-Based Multicultural Social Work Practice 373Chapter Learning Objectives 373Overview 374From “Doing Good” to “Doing Well” 374What Is Evidence-Based Practice? 375Evidence-Based Practice with Clients of Color 376Evidence-Based Practice and Empirically Supported Treatments 378Integration of EBP and EST to Enhance Cultural Sensitivity 379Empirically Supported Relationships 385The Working Alliance 386Emotional or Interpersonal Bond 388Empathy 389Positive Regard, Respect, Warmth, and Genuineness 392Self-Disclosure 393Management of Countertransference 393Goal Consensus 394Implications for Multicultural Social Work Practice 395Summary 396Part V: Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations 403Chapter 14 Profiles of Diverse Populations 405Chapter Learning Objectives 405Overview 406Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with African Americans 407Important Dimensions 407Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 412Important Dimensions 413Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Native Americans/First Nations Peoples and Alaska Natives 420Important Dimensions 422Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Latinos/Hispanics 430Important Dimensions 432Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Immigrants and Refugees 440Important Dimensions 443Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Biracial/Multiracial Persons 449Important Dimensions 450Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Women 460Important Dimensions 462Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with LGBT Individuals 469Important Dimensions 470Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Older Adults 475Important Dimensions 476Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Persons with Disabilities 485Important Dimensions 486Summary 491Author Index 503Subject Index 515