Portfolio Assessment of Multicultural Counseling Competency

Portfolio assessment is an alternate approach to the measurement of multicultural counseling competency. Most approaches to the assessment of multicultural counseling competency have focused on the development of point-in-time instruments that determine the degree to which an individual has acquired the awareness, knowledge, and skills associated with being a multiculturally competent counselor. A portfolio assessment encourages the learner to present concrete evidence that demonstrates his or her current level of multicultural counseling competency. This approach can be effective at both identifying the level of multicultural counseling competency for purposes of evaluation and for stimulating the development of further competence. The strengths and weaknesses of this approach to assessment of multicultural counseling competency are also discussed.

Multicultural Counseling as the "Fourth Force"

Recent contributors to the multicultural counseling debate seem to suggest that multicultural counseling has almost attained the status of a new paradigm, a new theory. This article examines the field of multicultural counseling as a new paradigm in counseling theory and suggests that although there has been a heightened awareness in multicultural counseling theory, the need to recognize the cultural and political context of human development in clinical practice has been very slow. It is argued that the progress made seems to be only in theory and research and that as scientist-practitioners, we need to work hard at supporting competent practice. A call is made to the profession for action.

Cultural Commitment and the Counseling Preferences and Counselor Perceptions of Native American Women

Native American women (N = 218) living on a reservation were surveyed to assess their preferences for counselor sex, ethnicity, cultural awareness, counseling style, and commitment to Native American and Anglo-American cultures. Women generally preferred a counselor with the following attributes: female, ethnically similar, culturally sensitive, and used a nondirective counseling style. All these preferences, except for counseling style, were generally stronger for personal versus vocational problems and were stronger for women with high commitment to Native American culture. Written analogue portrayals depicted counselors in four combinations (Native American vs. Anglo, culturally sensitive vs. insensitive). The Native American/sensitive counselor was rated highest, with the Anglo/insensitive counselor rated lowest. The Anglo/sensitive counselor was preferred to the Native/insensitive counselor by women who strongly identified with Native American culture.