The two essays “Guess Who’s Coming to Therapy” and “The New Research Agenda for a Cultural Psychology” address the issues of race and ethnicity as they apply to two different ways of collecting relevant data by scientific means from individuals, one way being through psychotherapy and the other through qualitative research. While each of these essays approaches the subject from a different perspective, they both advocate the use of a form of interviewing technique or direct communication with the subject in order to gain the most comprehensive information.
Cardemil and Battle’s research on the different ways in which psychologists can circumvent issues arising from a misunderstanding or ignorance of their clients’ ethnic and racial background brings up some enlightening points, primarily that many psychologists are reluctant to bring the subject up at all though it is an extremely important issue for the therapist to explore with their client in order to determine or better understand the circumstances surrounding the client’s life as well as the issues that the client may be dealing with (Cardemil & Battle, 2003).
Understanding and creating open communication between the psychologist and the client concerning race and ethnicity issues will allow for better overall communication and understanding between the two parties as well as creating a trusting relationship between the two.
The suggestions given by Cardemil and Battle when applied correctly on the part of the psychologist can not only facilitate more open communication between the therapist and the client which could lead to the client gaining more from the therapeutic sessions than they might would otherwise. The recognition on the part of the psychologist that their preconceived notions about their client based on their race or ethnicity could be hampering the progress that they are making in therapy with the client (Cardemil & Battle, 2003).
That the psychologist can do away with these preconceived notions and tactfully bring up the client’s race and ethnicity in therapy without being offensive is commendable as issues concerning race and ethnicity tend to be extremely sensitive. By asking the client what they see themselves as, how they self-identify, the therapist is expressing a willingness to understand the client in a more in-depth way while also building a trust relationship with that client (Cardemil & Battle, 2003).
As a psychotherapist, if your client is offended by you or does not feel that there is an element of trust between themselves and their therapist, they will gain little or nothing from their experience in therapy, which defeats the purpose of the process. By opening the lines of communication, the therapist is opening themselves to obtaining a greater understanding of their client while also working to best facilitate their clients’ needs in a trusting, unbiased environment exclusive of prejudice (Cardemil & Battle, 2003).
In Kral and Burkhardt’s essay concerning the use of qualitative method as a proper method of data collection for research, especially with regards to research regarding cultural issues demonstrates how qualitative method can be perhaps a more complete way of gathering information that other previously used methods which concern statistical data collection (Kral & Burkhardt, 2007). Though other methods of data collection are just as valid as qualitative research, they do not lend themselves toward the collection of more in-depth personal data, which qualitative method does allow.
Qualitative method centers around the collection of data through one on one interviews and personal interaction between the subject of the study, or participant, and the person conducting the research. With particular regard to cultural psychology, a more in-depth analysis of the information collected, or the understanding of the meaning behind that information is of the upmost importance (Kral & Burkhardt, 2007).
Qualitative method allows the reviewer to participate actively in an exchange with their participants where in they can gain more knowledge with regard to the personal experiences and lives of the participants. Qualitative research does not just stop at the written collection of basic information. It also allows the researcher to better understand and relate to their participants by being given the opportunity to observe their participants as they gather their information.
By being able to observe and to create a dialogue between the researcher and participant, the researcher is given access to more information than they would have otherwise received. This information comes to the researcher through the facial expressions and other physical reactions of the participant that the researcher can interpret within the context of the discussion (Kral & Burkhardt, 2007). It also creates a more personal, trust relationship between the two than the simple filling out of a survey would imply.
This trust relationship gives the researcher the opportunity to gain more information from the participant as well as to allow queries concerning other issues that might arise during conversation that would not be allowed with a standardized survey. The combination of qualitative research with the allowances given to psychology concerning race and ethnicity by Cardemil and Battle creates a structured environment in which to gain data and work to the best advantage of the client without hampering the quality of the information received.