Instilling multicultural counseling skills within graduate-level school counseling programs: reality or illusion

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree to which multicultural counseling skills, and particularly racial identity development, are incorporated within graduate level school counseling programs in the United States. Data was collected by mail from 24 school counseling programs throughout the U.S. A revised version of the Counseling Training Program Multicultural Competency Checklist (Ponterotto, Alexander & Greiger, 1995) was used for this purpose. Results shows that a majority of survey responding graduate level school counseling programs require a multicultural counseling course, that multicultural issues are integrate throughout courses, that required courses incorporate information on racial identity development theory and opportunities for students to examine their own racial identity are provided. Additionally, most programs reported fewer than 30% of their students and faculty represent racial/ethnic minority populations. Furthermore, a majority of programs do not provide students with experiential opportunities to interact and practice their multicultural skills with persons (including faculty, colleagues and clients) of diverse cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds.