| When dealing with multicultural clients in counseling, | | | | As cited by Diller (2007), the work of Marin |
| it is best to understand the clients' level of | | | | (1992) views the impact of acculturation based on |
| acculturation. Acculturation is the exchange of | | | | "the kinds of material that have been gained or |
| cultural features that results when groups of | | | | lost through acculturation". Marin's three levels, and |
| individuals having different cultures come into | | | | in particular, the immediate level, point to an |
| continuous first hand contact; the original cultural | | | | individual who uses the current language, and |
| patterns of either or both groups may be altered, | | | | associates with the predominant ethnic group of |
| but the groups remain distinct. | | | | that country. A significant acculturation occurs |
| This article compares and contrasts the level of | | | | when they adopt values of the current culture |
| acculturation for two Liberty University students | | | | (Diller, 2007). Hitomi left her atheist family and |
| who are also in counseling with Dr. Fernando | | | | predominantly atheist country to pursue education |
| Garzon, Associate Professor of Psychology at | | | | and life as a Christian. Her values have become |
| Liberty University. Hitomi was an informal | | | | increasingly dissimilar to that of her native culture, |
| interview, while Stan was a crisis session to the | | | | and for these reasons, my initial assessment is |
| U.S. culture. | | | | that of intermediate and leaning toward advanced |
| My assessment of acculturation in these individuals | | | | acculturation. With Stan, when asked how his wife |
| includes: a) language use – Hitomi (Hawkins, | | | | was doing, he replied "She hasn't been very close |
| 2009) said she reads and writes slower than | | | | because of the language barrier." From this I |
| American students, and struggles with some | | | | know she is not Russian, and in future sessions, I |
| conversations. Stan does not struggle. However, | | | | can learn her ethnicity. |
| his native language is important for emotional | | | | To help with future assessments, I would like to |
| processing, and Dr. Garzon effectively used | | | | better understand Japanese gender norms. I felt |
| language switching (Rivera, 1995) to facilitate this. | | | | Hitomi would feel less inhibited speaking to a white |
| This helps the client be more spontaneous, less | | | | female with warmth and empathy. Hill et al. (1988) |
| inhibited, and helps bring up repressed memories. | | | | supports this in his study of counselors using |
| (Rivera, 1995). b) generational conflict – both | | | | self-disclosure. Their clients reported feeling more |
| are first-generation intercultural students for | | | | normal and reassured, and experiencing greater |
| approximately five years. Stan's family in Russia is | | | | amounts of insight and sharing. (Kim, B., Hill, C., |
| Christian; Hitomi's family are atheist, and do not | | | | Gelso, C., Goates, M., Asay, P., and Harbin, J., |
| support her religion (Hawkins, 2009). c) persons of | | | | 2003). In dealing with Russian clients I would want |
| color – Stan, a white European has not faced | | | | to know more about their grieving process and |
| race discrimination. Hitomi, a person of color, has | | | | norms for each gender. |
| not faced race discrimination, although her circle of | | | | References |
| friends is limited to Liberty students. d) social | | | | Diller, J. V. (2007). Cultural diversity (3rd ed.). |
| supports – both students have primary | | | | Thomson, Brooks/Cole: Belmont, CA. |
| relationships with Americans. In general, these two | | | | Gladding, S.T. (2009). Counseling: A comprehensive |
| students demonstrate biculturalism. | | | | profession. Pearson: Upper Saddle River, NJ. |
| Gladding (2009) informs us that during the initial | | | | Hawkins, R. (2009). Counseling 504 Lecture #1. |
| interview we work with the client to identify the | | | | Acculturation 1. [Power Point]. Lynchburg, VA: |
| problem. It is important, he tells us, to be flexible | | | | Liberty University Distance Learning Program. |
| with our initial assessment because as we gather | | | | Kim, B., Hill, C., Gelso, C., Goates, M., Asay, P., and |
| more information in future sessions, our view of | | | | Harbin, J. (2003). Counselor self-disclosure, East |
| the problem may change. Assessing a client's | | | | Asian American client adherence to Asian cultural |
| acculturation from an initial interview is not | | | | values, and counseling process. Journal of |
| something a counselor would cast in stone; | | | | Counseling Psychology, 50, 3, 324–332. |
| instead, they should reconsider this as more | | | | Santiago-Rivera, A. (1995). Developing a culturally |
| information is revealed in future sessions. As this | | | | sensitive treatment modality for bilingual |
| information is gathered, a counselor would | | | | Spanish-speaking clients: incorporating language and |
| reassess what they have observed about the | | | | culture in counseling. Journal of Counseling & |
| client's acculturation as the counseling relationship | | | | Development, 74, 12-13. |
| grows. | | | | |