Cultural competence and power sharing: an international perspective on training clinical child psychologists

Abstract

Training clinical child psychologists necessitates explicit attention to the importance of developing cultural competencies for practice in diverse communities. This case study, comprising relevant social history, cultural models of child psychopathology and conceptual analysis of complex systems in bicultural Aotearoa New Zealand, offers salutary lessons for clinical practice internationally. In New Zealand, indigenous perspectives on children's mental health needs are holistic, encouraging trainee practitioners to recognise the systemic influences of extended family, school and community. Accommodating the expectations, values, and hegemony of both Māori and European populations requires service providers to acknowledge a broad interpretation of evidence‐based practice. In terms of true scientific progress, future best practice will require a rapprochement between the traditional knowledge of indigenous cultures and the empirically‐derived insights of psychology as an international discipline. The imperative to share power in decision‐making moves the debate beyond conventional multicultural sensitivities. Moral and political issues are inextricably entwined with clinical and professional activities.

Citation

Evans, I., Fitzgerald, J., Herbert, A. and Harvey, S. (2010), "Cultural competence and power sharing: an international perspective on training clinical child psychologists", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 5 No. 4, pp. 34-42. https://doi.org/10.5042/jmhtep.2010.0689