Cultural Considerations in Psychological Assessment

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Culturally Competent Assessment: The Case of Mrs. Hudson When working with clients of diverse background and cultures, it is important for counselors to be conscious of this fact during assessment and subsequent counseling. Due to fact that much of Western psychology and counseling theories and approaches stem from a White, European viewpoint, experiences and symptoms of marginalized groups are also evaluated by this same perspective (Sue & Sue, 2016). Furthermore, Hays (2015) stated, “psychological assessment involves standardized procedures that have been developed and shaped by dominant culture, which largely ignores or dismisses cultural influences. As a result, cultural questions and consideration are commonly left out,” (p. 128).
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Hudson’s case, it would be important to explore areas of trauma within her life. Furthermore, it could also be important to explore possible areas of trauma in her parent’s life, which would’ve caused the initial reason to emigrate to the U.S. in the first place. “There is significant distrust of authorities and professionals due to a long history of oppression and exploitation. Haitians suffered or decades under the rule of the Duvaliers (Papa and Baby Doc), leaders who modeled their secret military police after the Nazis,” (State University of New York, p. 1). This oppression and the related trauma associated with it in regard to Mrs. Hudson’s family could have directly impacted Mrs. Hudson. Root (as cited in Hays, 2016) went on to include that, “insidious trauma may be passed down generationally, along with attendant defensive behaviors and a shared sense of helplessness, as a result of a parent’s, grandparent’s, or whole cultures’s traumatic experiences,” (p. 144). Exploring not only trauma that occurred in Mrs. Hudson’s life (death of father, illness of daughter), but also trauma related to cultural variables within her family (cultural and political oppression, migration) would be beneficial in treatment and counseling. It would may also help bridge the gap in mistrust of outside entities from the Haitian culture itself, that has been built up over

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