Multiculturalism in Social Work
My potential capstone project’s study is about the mental health challenges that are being caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just like any other pandemic, COVID-19 has significantly altered people’s lives across the world. COVID-19 has led to many changes that have substantially affected people’s mental health negatively deteriorating the quality of their lives. My capstone project’s topic aims at understanding how COVID-19 has influenced the mental health of adults who are between the age of 30 and 40. Among the changes that COVID-19 has caused in the world is the implementation of social distancing policies, which have led to the closure of businesses and restriction of movements from one region to another. As a consequence, people working in the transportation and hospitality sectors have been laid off, increasing the unemployment rate in many countries globally. As a result, people have developed mental health issues because they are stressed and anxious, as they do not have a source of income, which is frustrating. COVID-19 has affected people across all cultures, regions, tribes, races, political affiliation, and religion. Therefore, it is extremely critical for me to implement multiculturalism in my projects so that I show cultural sensitivity to the research participants improving the quality of my finding.
Integrating Multiculturalism in My Practice
Integrating Multiculturalism is in one’s social work foundation essential is essential because it enables a clinician to show sensitivity to clients’ diverse cultures, enabling them to have a better experience. Consequently, the clients become more receptive to interventions developed by the clinician because they feel respected and understood. I may integrate multiculturalism in my clinical practice in multiple ways, enhancing the quality of my interventions. The principal method that I may incorporate multiculturalism in my clinical practice is by attending multicultural training regularly. Social work is dynamic so is the culture of the clients; hence, attending multicultural seminars will enable me to improve my cultural competency skills, helping me to incorporate multiculturalism in my practice appropriately. Furthermore, multicultural seminars will enable me to meet with people from diverse cultural backgrounds helping me to further understand ways of dealing with people from different cultures (Potocky, 1997). Interacting with people who share different cultures in training seminars may enhance my knowledge about being culturally sensitive, helping me serve my clients in a better manner.
The second way that I may implement multiculturalism in my clinical practice is by respecting my patients’ culture regardless of how different it may be from mine. Showing cultural sensitivity to my client would help in the creation of a good therapeutic relationship, where the clients would feel free to talk about deeper concerns affecting them. Consequently, I will be able to tailor high-quality interventions that best suit their needs, helping the clients to recover quickly and lead better lives. Additionally, by incorporating cultural sensitivity I will be able to comprehend the clients’ needs clearly, developing treatment plans that will address the clients’ concerns, enhancing the quality of my services (Sisneros et al., 2008). Furthermore, when developing interventions I would integrate the clients’ culture so that they become more receptive to it. Incorporating clients’ culture in the interventions may make the client receptive to the treatment plan, increasing the chances of the client recovering quickly. I feel if a clinician grounds their practice on multiculturalism they will be able to help any type of client regardless of their cultural background.
Multiculturalism Issues Relating to My Project’s Topic
Since COVID-19 has affected almost everyone globally, several multicultural issues relate to my project’s topic. The first multiculturalism issue that relates to my project’s topic is religious differences. My research participants may have different religions, meaning I should employ cultural sensitivity so that I do not hurt their feelings while asking them questions, which may compromise the findings of the study (Potocky, 1997). Also, since COVID-19 has affected almost everybody in the world my research will have participants from different religions so that I can get sound findings that reflect a true representation of how the pandemic has affected people’s mental health in the world.
Another multicultural consideration that is related to my topic is race difference. My research participants will be from different races, meaning that I have to be sensitive so that I do not offend them while collecting data. By employing multiculturalism, I will be able to collect data from individuals from different races without offending them in any manner. The third multicultural issue is dealing with the study’s participants with diverse cultural beliefs. The research participants are diverse and come from different cultures; thus, I must portray cultural competency so that I may be able to deal with them in a respectable manner (Sisneros et al., 2008). Treating research participants from different cultures with respect will motivate them to remain in the study, decreasing the probabilities of experimental mortality where research participants opt-out of the research before the completion of the study.
Examples of Treatment Plans That Support Multiculturalism
The first example of interventions that I may apply which support multiculturalism is partnering with a traditional healer to help a client who keeps on having nightmares of demons and is from a culture that believes in demons. By collaborating with a traditional healer, the client may feel that her needs are addressed and her culture is understood compelling her to accept the treatment plans that I will develop with the help of the healer (Laureate Education). The second example of a treatment plan that I may implement which supports multiculturalism is partnering with clergy if a client is religious. Collaborating with a clergy may make the client believe that God is part of the intervention, encouraging him or her to accept the treatment plan. Furthermore, working with the client’s religious leader may be essential as he or she will help me monitor the client, ensuring faster recovery.
References
Laureate Education. (Executive Producer). (2012). Multicultural scenarios [Interactive media]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Potocky, M. (1997). Multicultural social work in the United States: A review and critique. International Social Work, 40(3), 315-326.
Sisneros, J., Stakeman, C., Joyner, M. C., & Schmitz, C. L. (2008). Critical multicultural social work. Oxford University Press.