Reliability and Validity of Three Measures of Multicultural Competency

In the last decade, many researchers and practitioners have focused on the importance of multiculturalism in counseling, research, education, and organizations (D'Andrea, Daniels, & Heck, 1991; Pedersen, 1991; Ponterotto & Casas, 1987; Sue, 1991; Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992). Many of these professionals were influenced, either directly or indirectly, by the landmark article written by Derald Wing Sue and his colleagues (i.e., Sue, Bernier, Durran, Feinberg, Pedersen, Smith, & Vasquez-Nuttall, 1982). Sue et al. (1982) exposed myths and misconceptions related to cross-cultural issues, provided a definition of cross-cultural counseling and therapy, and articulated guidelines of competency for professionals in counseling and psychotherapy. However, possibly the greatest contribution to the area of multiculturalism was identifying the characteristics of a competent cross-cultural counselor and related beliefs and attitudes (awareness), knowledge, and skills. Since 1982, such competencies have been delineated and operationalized (see Arredondo et al., 1996; Sue et al., 1992). The magnitude of information generated by the counseling profession in response to this work speaks to the relevance and timeliness of Sue et al.'s (1982) article. The importance of multicultural and diversity training in counseling has been supported for many reasons, including basic ethical obligations and future population projections (Robinson & Ginter, 1999). The ethical code of the American Counseling Association (ACA, 1995) clearly outlines the ethical obligations. First, one does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status; and second, the counselor should work to understand different backgrounds (ACA, 1995). The American Psychological Association (APA, 1992) holds a similar stance regarding the importance of recognizing and obtaining competency in serving diverse groups of people. Not only are psychologists to be aware of differences, they are also ethically bound to obtain appropriate training when serving diverse people or to offer other appropriate resources to them (APA, 1992). In addition to the guidelines and ethical obligations outlined in the professions' codes, the changing population figures forecast an increasingly diverse society, which offers further incentive and obligation for multicultural competency. In 1992, the United States population was approximately 75% Caucasian according to conservative estimates from the United States Census Bureau (1997); by the year 2050, it is anticipated that only 52.8% of the U.S. population will be Caucasian. The Latino population is expected to more than double in percentage of total U.S. population, growing from 9% in 1992 to 24.5% in 2050; the Asian American/Pacific Islander population is expected to nearly triple, growing from 3% of the United States population in 1992 to 8.2% in 2050. Although the slowest growing of the ethnic minority populations, African Americans are expected to constitute 13.6% of the U.S. population in 2050, compared with 12% in 1992 (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1997). As the population figures suggest, counselors are likely to be providing services to increasingly diverse groups of people. Although the implications for the continuing demographic shift in the U.S. seem clear, the impact of race relations or the sociopolitical influences of race and other differences are not as easily understood (Robinson & Ginter, 1999). Although seen as a major factor in the therapeutic relationship between counselors and clients (Sue & Sue, 1990), sociopolitical influences are difficult to measure because they are multidimensional and vary over time. One way of approximating the effects of social and political climates in the U.S. is by examining differences across age, or generational differences. During the 1980s most of the training in the U. …