Counselling across cultures experiences of intern clinical psychologists /

by Makau, Keabetswe Mpho.

Most intern-psychologists carry with them the knowledge they had acquired during training, to their different internship institutions. The aim of this study is to explore and record the experiences of Black and White intern-psychologists during therapy with clients of a different culture to themselves. A group of 6 intern-psychologists were selected by means of Quota sampling method as follows: 3 of the intern-psychologists had to be Black and the other 3 White. All of them had to be finishing their internship in December 2002 and during their 12 months internship, had to have been exposed to clients of a different culture to themselves. In the sample, 2 of the Black intern-psychologists are women and 2 of the White internpsychologists are men. Of the Black inter-psychologists, 1 is Setswana speaking, 1 Zulu speaking and the other Xhosa speaking. Of the White intern-psychologists, 2 are Afrikaans speaking and 1 English speaking. A context specific methodological approach was used to concentrate on the experiences of the intern-psychologists during therapy with clients of a different culture to themselves. Respondents were asked to fill in a biographical questionnaire and thereafter, data was collected by means of biographical questionnaires and vignettes that will help prompt the intern-psychologists. The interpretation of the data showed that the intern-psychologists experienced differences during therapy with clients of a different culture to themselves as compared to University of Pretoria etd – Makau, K M (2003) those with the same culture as themselves. Factors such as the client’s race, home language, gender, cultural differences, stereotypes and historical background played an important role in the success or failure of therapy. The need for more exposure to cross cultural training and skills emerged through the interviews. Key words Intern-psychologists Counselling Gender Culture Therapy Language Race University of Pretoria etd – Makau, K M (2003) Opsomming Die kennis wat intern-sielkundiges opdoen tydens hul opleiding, beïnvloed grootliks die kennis wat aangewend word by hul internskap instellings. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die ervarings wat swart- en wit intern-sielkundiges opdoen tydens terapie met kliënte van ander kulture te ondersoek en aan te teken. Die Kwota proefnemingsmetode is gebruik om ses intern-sielkundiges te selekteer. Daar is ‘n vereiste gestel dat drie swart- en drie wit intern-sielkundiges gekies moes word. Al die proefpersone moes hul internskap in Desember 2002 voltooi het en moes gedurende die 12 maande van internskap, blootstelling gekry het aan kliënte van ander kulture. Twee van die swart intern-sielkundiges in die proefgroep moes vroulik wees en twee van die wit intern-sielkundiges in die proefgroep moes manlik wees. Die swart internsielkundiges was onderskeidelik Setswana-, Zoeloe- en Xhosa sprekend. Twee van die wit intern-sielkundiges was Afrikaans sprekend en die ander was een was Engels sprekend. ‘n Konteksspesifieke Metodologiese Benadering is gebruik om die ervarings wat die intern-sielkundiges ondergaan het tydens terapie met kliënte van ander kulture te beskryf. ‘n Biografiese vraelys is deur die proefpersone voltooi waarna data ingesamel is deur middel van biografiese vraelyste en karaktersketse wat die intern-sielkundiges aangespoor het. University of Pretoria etd – Makau, K M (2003) Die interpretasie van die data het daarop gewys dat die intern-sielkundiges verskille ervaar het tydens terapie met kliënte van ‘n soortgelyke kultuur wanneer dit vergelyk word met dié van ‘n ander kultuur. Faktore soos die kliënt se ras, eerste taal, geslag en kulturele verskille, stereotipes en agtergrond het ‘n belangrike rol gespeel in die uitkoms van die terapie hetsy positief of negatief. Daar is tydens die onderhoude ‘n behoefte vir wyer blootstelling aan kruis-kulturele opleiding en vaardighede geïdentifiseer. Kernwoorde Intern-sielkundiges Berading Geslag Terapie Taal Ras Kultuur University of Pretoria etd – Makau, K M (2003)