Note: You are strongly encouraged to complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.
After analyzing one’s multifaceted cultural identity and biases, the next step toward multicultural competency is to plan how you can use best practices to minimize the negative impact of these factors on professional relationships.
Multicultural competence is essential to be an equitable and effective psychologist; therefore, both working practitioners and learners require professional development in this area. The case study, which is an in-depth report and analysis of events, activities, or processes involving one or more individuals or a situation, is an important tool for training as it allows us to analyze real-life professional concerns without doing harm to the people who service our services.
Working psychologists continue to consult with colleagues on case studies to improve their professional competencies. While actual case studies are based on factual reports, simulated (or fictional) case studies, or vignettes, are often used to illustrate situations that could occur in practice and evaluate potential courses of action. A PowerPoint presentation can be an effective means of sharing case study details and lessons learned in a professional context.
To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.
- What are some common cultural conflicts that occur in the workplace?
- How might cultural differences contribute to conflicts?
- How might a person’s biases impact cultural conflict and potential solutions?
- What are some productive ways that cultural conflicts can be resolved?