For more than 30 years, cultural competence has been acknowledged as being central to providing effective therapy, typically in cross-cultural counseling, but also in identifying important areas of difference that may go unaddressed in presumed areas of similarity (e.g., similar race but economic or religious differences). It has generally been described as having three main components: attitudes/beliefs, knowledge and skills (D. W. Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992; D. W. Sue et al., 1982).
In recent years, “cultural humility” has gained ascendance as a key concept. Across studies, cultural humility has been defined as involving (a) a lifelong motivation to learn from others, (b) critical self-examination of cultural awareness, (c) interpersonal respect, (d) developing mutual partnerships that address power imbalances, and (e) an other-oriented stance open to new cultural information (Mosher, Hook, Farrell, Watkins, & Davis, 2017).
The presenters will explore this evolution and make the argument that cultural humility is an ongoing, active process incorporated into all practice and should be considered an ethical requirement. They will also offer suggestions for lifelong learning and application of this imperative.
Objectives:
- Differentiate the concepts of cultural competence and cultural humility.
- Identify how cultural humility should be considered an ethical imperative.
- Describe ways to incorporate cultural humility into various areas of psychological practice.