Title: Substance use counsellors’ understanding and incorporation of ethno-cultural diversity factors: An interpretive description.
Room 203, Graduate Student Centre/Thea Koerner House
Supervisor: Dr. Beth Haverkamp (Counselling Psychology)
Supervisory Committee: Dr. Richard Young (CNPS)
Supervisory Committee: Dr. Victoria Smye (Nursing)
External Examiner: Dr. Anne Marshall (University of Victoria)
ABSTRACT:
The objective of this study was to explore how counsellors understand and incorporate ethno-cultural (EC) diversity factors in alcohol and drug (A&D) counselling, in order to glean practical information that may contribute to culturally competent and safe practices. Qualitative interviews within an Interpretive Description (Thorne, 2008) approach were conducted with 23 A&D counsellors, 4 of whom reported serving as both counsellors and supervisors. As per design, additional information rich sources were sought that included interviews with 4 participants identifying as other professionals affiliated with A&D services (program managers, directors and consultants). Interviews were analyzed using Miles and Hubermans’ (1994) framework. Counsellors demonstrated varying levels of awareness and positions towards EC differences with conversations ranging from overemphasis on similarities and resistance towards differences, to participants considering EC differences as an ethical and integral part of practice. Participants’ view of “addiction” also seemed to inform how they spoke about the relevance of EC factors in therapy, as captured by two dominant approaches towards recovery. An integrated approach to A&D care revealed multiple levels of analysis and consideration of clients’ socio-cultural influences in recovery. In contrast, the addiction as a disease model constructed A&D problems as universal and EC factors as secondary to include in therapy. The A&D organizational context as described by participants included a discussion of both strengths and barriers to provision of culturally competent services. Counsellors with culture focused, ethical and social justice orientations were found to be more self-aware and articulate about their attempts at translating their knowledge into practice. However, those emphasizing similarities seemed to experience difficulties in describing their application attempts. Relevant ethical dimensions as well as implication for practice and research were identified.