Reported factors for practitioners working with diverse ethnic minority clients to support positive therapeutic outcomes: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

It is an ethical imperative that practitioners recognise and understand the different factors that may contribute to our work with ethnic minority clients (BPS, 2018; HCPC, 2016). Previous research provided conflicting views regarding the key factors for practitioners working with people from ethnically diverse minorities to support Positive Therapeutic Outcomes (PTO). This study aimed to explore the experiences of counselling psychologists in the UK working with people from ethnic minorities, and to find the strengths and limitations the practitioners encounter when working with ethnically diverse clients.Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants, and data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).One superordinate and three subordinate themes emerged: reported limitations and ways to overcome them (institutional disparities; lack of multicultural training; multicultural awareness)Findings suggest the presence of common elements that contribute to PTO with people from ethnic minorities. Consistent with previous research the study shows that participants experience barriers to their practice which might affect the efficacy of therapeutic outcomes with ethnic minorities.ethnic minority; diversity; therapeutic outcomes; IPA.