ISSN : 2233-6710(Print)
ISSN : 2384-2121(Online)
ISSN : 2384-2121(Online)
Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling Vol.2 No.2 pp.133-146
DOI : https://doi.org/10.18401/2012.2.2.1
DOI : https://doi.org/10.18401/2012.2.2.1
Multicultural Knowledge and Skills of Singaporean Master Therapists
Received April 30, 2012, Revision received July 21, 2012, Accepted August 10, 2012
Abstract
An international team of researchers from Singapore and the United States conducted a qualitative investigation of themulticultural competencies of Singaporean master therapists (i.e., expert therapists). Six Singaporean master therapists,previously studied and identified through an extensive peer nomination sampling procedure (Jennings et al., 2008), were reinterviewedto explore how these master therapists conceptualize and conduct cross-cultural counseling. Utilizing data analyticprocedures from consensual qualitative research (CQR) and grounded theory, eight themes within two categories wereidentified. The Multicultural Knowledge category contained four themes (Self-Knowledge, Cultural Immersion, CulturalKnowledge, and Knowledge of Systemic/Historic Oppression). Another four themes (Respect, Cultural MisunderstandingsLead to Humility and Growth, Ask, Dontained four th Suspend Judgment and Avoid Imposing Values) were organized underthe Multicultural Skills category. Recommendations for future research and implications for clinical practice are discussed.
counseling and psychotherapy expertise,master therapists,cross-national research,cultural competence,cross cultural counseling