Pennsylvania Psychological Association Cultural Awareness and Competence Samuel Knapp, Ed. Although I know of no situations where psychologists have been disciplined by a licensing board or ethics committee for violating this standard, I am aware of situations where ignorance of the culture or lack of sensitivity has presented a barrier to achieving the desired treatment outcomes.
Cultural competence appears essential if psychologists are to deliver the highest quality service.
Similarly, the importance of cultural competence will increase over the years. The first step in developing cultural awareness is to start gathering information on the impact of cultural factors on therapy. Although PPA adopted this position too late to be included in the latest revision of the continuing education regulations, it will work to include this recommendation in later revisions of the continuing education regulations. References American Psychological Association. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.