Building Ego and Racial Identity: Preliminary Perspectives on Counselors‐in‐Training

Preparing counselors to be multiculturally competent is complex. It requires counselors independent of their racial and cultural backgrounds to possess the requisite attitudes, skills, and knowledge to work effectively with diverse persons with respect to race, gender, culture, sexual orientation, and ability (Arredondo, 1999; Robinson, 1999). The extent of this challenge becomes clearer when the roles that race and culture play, both in society and within counseling, are considered. Ego development is also a necessary complement to developing well-rounded counselors. Ego development, as described by Loevinger (1976), is the "master" personality trait, organizing and integrating all other aspects of personality (Swenson, 1980). According to Swenson, ego is the central variable in interpersonal relations. Ego development is also an important component of self-awareness (Loevinger, 1976), which is essential to multicultural effectiveness (Brown, Parham, & Yonker, 1996). Richardson and Molinaro (1996) asserted that "if it is accepted that counselor self-awareness is a precursor for effective and culturally relevant counseling, then critical self-awareness factors must be identified and incorporated into multicultural training" (p. 238). Although ego development is related to both self-awareness and multicultural effectiveness, the relationship between these constructs has yet to be empirically explored in the context of counselor training. Because the ego is so salient to the personality of counselors and racial identity has been proven to affect counseling effectiveness, it is critical to explore these constructs together. The purpose of this study is to examine the ego development and the racial identity of counselors-in-training. Implications for how this relates to multicultural competence are also discussed. A brief review of Loevinger's (1976) theory of ego development and Cross's (1991) and Helms's (1990) theories of racial identity development follow. EGO DEVELOPMENT Loevinger's theory of ego development presents the ego as the organizing framework in which individuals view themselves and the world (Loevinger, 1976). There are several stages depicted in her theory, beginning with the Presocial stage and ending with the Integrated stage. The person operating from the Presocial stage has not yet learned to differentiate the self from the environment. The Symbiotic stage is characterized by the symbiotic relationship between the child and the person who plays the nurturing role. Both of these stages are preverbal. In the Impulsive stage, the individual is able to differentiate self from others with a view of the social environment as a source of punishment or reward. In the Self-Protective stage, the person has the notion of blame but does not take responsibility for personal actions. In the Conformist stage, the individual begins to identify personal welfare with that of the group. At the Self-Aware level, the individual is in transition from the Conformist to Conscientious stage. At this transitional level, an individual has increased self-awareness and an ability to appreciate multiple perspectives. The Conscientious stage is characterized by an internalized drive to abide by rules and values while viewing the self as an active decision maker in the world. The Individualistic level is the transition from the Conscientious to the Autonomous stage. The person establishes a sense of individuality and becomes increasingly aware of the emotional conflict(s) involved in interdependence. The Autonomous stage is distinguished by the conceptual complexity involved in dealing with conflict. Last, an individual in the Integrated stage is the rare person who has transcended conflict and is self-actualized. BLACK AND WHITE RACIAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT Cross's (1991) theory of racial identity development, called the "Negro-to-Black Conversion Experience," is the most widely used racial theory for African Americans. …