A new article published in The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research examines mental health providers’ beliefs, norms, and perceived barriers to practicing cultural humility in clinical care.
Led by Alexandria G. Bauer of Rutgers University, the study finds that most providers view cultural humility as essential to good practice, especially in improving therapeutic alliance and addressing barriers faced by marginalized clients. But despite this support, many clinicians also worry about the challenges of broaching cultural topics with clients and fear political or institutional pushback.
Some participants stated that the new federal guidelines against cultural humility make it more daunting to implement in their practices, as they fear being reprimanded for not adhering to them.
“Findings reflected positive behavioral beliefs regarding cultural humility, including the potential for these approaches to improve case conceptualization, therapeutic alliance, and general practice, plus breaking down barriers for marginalized clients,” the authors write.
“Furthermore, most negative beliefs identified (i.e., uncertainty in navigating practice and altering one’s relationship with the client) were largely described as hypothetical, rather than direct past experiences. Together, these findings suggest that engaging in these approaches was viewed positively and perceived to be worthwhile.”
The study reveals how therapists’ institutional pressures influence the care they provide, prompting questions about whose interests shape the norms of mental health practice.
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