A case for mindfulness practice in fostering multicultural competence in counseling

Abstract

Clear and alarming disparities in mental health service and utilization exist between ethnic minorities and non-minorities. Research in the field of counseling psychology has been vigilant in naming this issue, and multicultural counseling competence (MCC) has been identified as an essential, ethical component to best practice in therapy. However, despite these efforts, action has been inadequate and slow to address the needs of substantial portions of the population. A contributing factor in the delay to amend these disparities is the lack of clarity about exactly what constitutes MCC, and how it is achieved, demonstrated and/or experienced. The present study offers mindfulness meditation as a potential vehicle for cultivating multicultural competence in therapists. Research in the field that combines MCC and mindfulness is virtually non-existent. As such, this study explores the relationship between MCC and mindfulness among 123 therapists at college and university counseling centers across the country. Survey data collected included demographic information, and the completion of the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills Survey- Counselor Edition- Revised Outcome (MAKSS-CE-R) and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Correlation and regression analyses were conducted for all participants and also for White-identified participants only. Data analysis revealed that positive relationships do exist between the MAKSS-CE-R and the FFMQ, and also between their respective subscales. Exploratory analyses revealed Gender to be a significant moderator of FFM-Observing when predicting MAKSS-CE-R-Total score among all participants and among White-identified participants. FFM-Non-judging was also moderated by Gender as a significant predictor variable among White-identified therapists. Results suggest that MCC and mindfulness are related, and that mindfulness may account for a respectable amount of the variance in MCC score as measured by the MAKSS-CE-R.