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Developing Clinical Trainees’ Multicultural Counseling Competencies Through Working with Refugees in a Multicultural Psychotherapy Practicum: a Mixed-Methods Investigation

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Abstract

Using a longitudinal mixed-methods research design, the present study examined the development of multicultural competence and skills among 14 doctoral-level clinical trainees across three cohort groups, through providing counseling and therapy to refugees within a multicultural psychotherapy practicum. The results show that trainees reported significant increases in all domains of the measures of multicultural counseling competencies and self-efficacy as they worked with refugee clients between pre- and post-practicum, with medium to large effect sizes. The results of the Multi-Level Model analysis of trainees’ coded, post-session qualitative journals further revealed that the trainees’ growth curve for developing multicultural counseling and therapy skills was characterized by a non-linear pattern. Finally, trainees’ qualitative journal narratives additionally highlighted profound and nuanced cognitive, affective, behavioral, and interpersonal learning impacts and gains through this refugee-servicing practicum. Implications and recommendations for future multicultural counseling training and research are considered.

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Acknowledgments

This research was partially supported by the University of Windsor’s Internal Humanities and Social Sciences Research Grant (HSSRG 810050) awarded to the first author. This study would not have been possible without the commitment, support, and effort of many. Hence, we wish to convey our deep gratitude to the following individuals: Dr. Beatriz Rodriguez-Rubio, Dr. Ty Partridge, Carli Cristofari, Cicelia Atilade, Cindy Ly, Fareeha Nadeem, Rachel Plowman, Refa Laith, Ibukunoluwa Adekoya, and the participant trainees in this study.

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Correspondence to Ben C. H. Kuo.

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Kuo, B.C.H., Soucie, K. & Huang, S. Developing Clinical Trainees’ Multicultural Counseling Competencies Through Working with Refugees in a Multicultural Psychotherapy Practicum: a Mixed-Methods Investigation. Int J Adv Counselling 42, 249–268 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-019-09392-8

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