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Running head: A GOOD ENOUGH WHITE THERAPIST
Becoming A Good Enough White Therapist: Experiences of International Students in
Counseling Psychology Doctoral Programs
University of Oklahoma
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A GOOD ENOUGH WHITE THERAPIST
Problem Statement
Despite anti-immigration rhetoric and the current socio-political climate, the number of
international students enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States has grown
significantly over time (Dow Jones Institutional, 2017). Many attribute this growth to the dualimpact of globalization and internationalization on higher education (Lyngstad, 2007; Mitchell &
Nielsen, 2012). Globalization is often described as the interdependency and interconnectedness
among political, social, cultural, and economic systems beyond national borders (Lyngstad,
2007). As socio-economic globalization impacts education and turns knowledge into a
commodity, internationalization can be conceptualized as the response of higher education to
globalization (Nielsen, 2011). One of such responses is the recruitment and retention of
international students (Ng, 2012; Mitchell & Nielsen, 2012; Ng & Lau, 2012a).
The field of psychology is not exempt from the impact of globalization, and it recognizes
international students as vital to the process of internationalization (Park & Cho, 2010; Leong &
Ponterotto, 2003). With its emphasis on diversity, counseling psychology consistently reported
the highest number of international students enrolled in APA accredited programs (American
Psychological Association, 2017). Many of these students often arrive in the United States with
different values and principles, but they are evaluated and held accountable to American values
of independence, self-reliance, and autonomy (Mittal & Wieling, 2006; Ng & Lau, 2012b).
Furthermore, many professional counselors and counselor educators globally were trained in the
United States, or by native graduates of American counseling programs (Smith & Ng, 2009). As
such, it is critical to understand the experiences of international students, as well as the relevancy
of their education to avoid promulgating eurocentric ideals and values (Leong & Ponterotto,
2003; Goodman et. al., 2014), or training “good enough white therapists” (Hardy, 2008).
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Significance of the Study
Given the emphasis of multiculturalism in counseling programs, there is an increasing
number of studies on the experiences of racial and ethnic minority students (Baker & Moore,
2015; Henfield, Owens, & Witherspoon, 2011). Some studies have explored the experiences of
international students in counselor training programs (Mittal & Wieling, 2006; Smith & Ng,
2009; Ng & Lau, 2012b). However, there is limited research into the experiences of international
students in counseling doctoral programs (Nilsson & Anderson, 2004). A recurring theme across
the literature documenting the experiences of international students in American colleges
(Poyrazli, Thukral, & Duru, 2010; Sullivan & Kashubeck-West, 2015) is acculturative stress, and
the challenges faced by these students as a result of living in a culture dissimilar to theirs.
Berry (2005) defined acculturation as the sociological and psychological adaptation to a
different culture after living in it for a considerable period of time. The sum of the problems of
living and challenges encountered while adjusting to the process of acculturation is regarded as
acculturative stress (Poyrazli et al., 2010; Sullivan & Kashubeck-West, 2015). Some studies have
found variations in acculturative stress among different racial-ethnic groups, with African
students reporting the highest levels, and European students reporting the lowest (Yeh & Inose
2003). Poyrazli et al. (2010) attributed this discrepancy to the interaction of acculturation and
exposure to racism. Cultural distance, the degree of similarity between cultures, was also
suggested as an explanation for the differences in levels of acculturative stress (Yeh & Inose,
2003). According to Pedersen (1991), greater levels of acculturative stress are reported by
international students from the most dissimilar cultures. As a result, students from non-western
backgrounds that value collectivism are believed to experience more acculturative stress due to
living in an individualistic society (Poyrazli et al. (2010).
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A GOOD ENOUGH WHITE THERAPIST
The extant studies highlight shared experiences of international counselor trainees to
include higher levels of academic stressors, language barriers, cultural adjustment issues,
financial and immigration stressors, as well as discrimination by faculty and students (Ng & Lau,
2012b). Psychosocial challenges reported include the pressure to assimilate Western norms and
values, as well as the need to acclimatize to an American training context and approach (Mittal
& Wieling, 2006). Furthermore, it was not uncommon for these students to experience ethical
dilemmas inherent in learning content that conflicted with their cultural beliefs and values (Smith
& Ng, 2009; Mittal & Wieling, 2006). Nilsson and Anderson (2004) found that international
doctoral students in professional psychology programs who were less acculturated to the
American culture reported less counseling skill, self-efficacy, and a weaker supervisory working
alliance. Regarding multicultural competencies and relevance of training, international students
reported shortcomings in the acquisition of multicultural counseling skills as well as limited
applicability of what they were taught to their country of origin (Ng & Lau, 2012b).
In light of these findings, the paucity of research on the reality of international students
from non-western backgrounds in counseling doctoral programs is concerning. Given what we
know so far, it is important to note that many of these studies present the experiences of nonwestern international students from a culturally-deficit model that tends to pathologize the
experiences of international students, and place inherent deficiencies within the students
themselves (Smith & Ng, 2009). Consequently, it is easy to overlook the resilience of
international students and their vital role in the development of a diverse and multicultural
learning environment (Ng, 2012). However, as a field committed to social justice advocacy,
centering the needs and experiences of non-western international students is essential to
decolonizing the practice of counseling and psychology education (Goodman et. al., 2014).
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A GOOD ENOUGH WHITE THERAPIST
Research Purpose and Research Questions
The present study seeks to explore the needs and experiences of international students
from non-western cultural backgrounds in counseling psychology doctoral programs. Using
individual interviews, the study’s target participants are specifically non-western international
students who have already experienced at least two semesters of clinical practicum training and
supervision. The study will attempt to understand how these students describe their level of
acculturation, and cope with potential stressors. Also, the study will explore the students’ selfperception of their counseling skills-efficacy, supervisory experiences, and multicultural
competencies. An in-depth examination of the transferability of the education received by nonwestern international graduates from counseling programs in the United States is beyond the
scope of this study. However, there will be an attempt to explore aspects of the current training
that non-western international students find applicable to their unique cultural contexts.
The following research questions have been developed to meet the goals of the study:
1. What are the needs and experiences of non-western international students in
counseling psychology doctoral programs?
2. How do these students cope with possible language barriers in a predominantly verbal
field, while building counseling skills self-efficacy during advanced clinical
placement and supervision?
3. How do non-western international students navigate the clinical aspects of their
training, and develop multicultural competency in the presence of acculturative stress,
potentially different world views, and dissimilar value orientations?
4. What aspects of their education do they find conducive to practicing psychology in
their home countries, and how do they intend to implement these skills and training?
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References (I need to make the submission deadline, so I’m going to have to clean this up later-))
American Psychological Association. (2017). International and domestic students in accredited
doctoral psychology programs by area and degree:2002-2009. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/about/research/accredited-doctoral-students.aspx
Baker & Moore, 2015
Berry, 2005
Dow Jones Institutional
Goodman, R.D., Williams, J.M., Chung, R.C., Talleyrand, R. M., Douglass, A.M., McMahon,
H.G., & Bemak, F. (2014).
Henfield, Owens, & Witherspoon, 2011
Leong & Ponterotto, 2003
Lyngstad, 2007
Mitchell & Nielsen, 2012
Mittal & Wieling, 2006
Ng 2012
Ng & Lau, 2012a Ng & Lau, 2012b
Nielsen 2011
Nilsson and Anderson (2004)
Park & Cho, 2010 Pedersen (1991)
Poyrazli, Thukral, & Duru, 2010
Smith & Ng, 2009
Sullivan & Kashubeck-West, 2015
Yeh & Inose 2003
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