"Racial/Ethnic Matching of Clients and Therapists in Mental Health Serv" by Timothy B. Smith and Raquel R. Cabral
 

Keywords

race, ethnicity, culture, psychotherapy, therapeutic alliance

Abstract

The effects of matching clients with therapists of the same race/ethnicity have been explored using a variety of approaches across several decades. We conducted a meta-analysis of three variables frequently used in research on racial/ethnic matching: Clients' preferences for a therapist of their own race/ethnicity, clients' perceptions of therapists, and therapeutic outcomes. Across 52 studies of preferences, the average effect size was d = .63, indicating a moderately strong preference for a therapist of one's own race/ethnicity. Across 81 studies of individuals' perceptions of therapists, the average effect size was d = .32, indicating a tendency to perceive therapists of one's own race/ethnicity somewhat more positively than other therapists. Across 53 studies of client outcomes in mental health treatment, the average effect size was d = .09, indicating almost no benefit to treatment outcomes from racial/ethnic matching of clients with therapists. These three averaged effect sizes were characterized by substantial heterogeneity; the effects of racial/ethnic matching are highly variable. Studies involving African American participants demonstrated the highest effect sizes across all three types of evaluations: preferences, perceptions, and outcomes.

Original Publication Citation

Cabral, R., & Smith, T. B. (in press). Racial/ethnic matching of clients and therapists in mental health services: A meta-analytic review of preferences, perceptions, and outcomes. Journal of Counseling Psychology. http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/cou/index.aspx

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2011-10-01

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/2800

Publisher

American Psychological Association

Language

English

College

David O. McKay School of Education

Department

Counseling Psychology and Special Education

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