title: Developing culturally competent marriage and family therapists: treatment guidelines for non-African-American therapists working with African-American families.
abstract: To serve African-American families effectively, marriage and family therapists need to develop a level of cultural competence. This content analysis of the relevant treatment literature was conducted to examine the most common expert recommendations for family therapy with African Americans. Fifteen specific guidelines were generated, including orient the family to therapy, do not assume familiarity, address issue of racism, intervene multi-systemically, do home visits, use problem-solving focus, involve religious leader, incorporate the father, and acknowledge strengths. Conceptual and empirical support for each guideline is discussed, and conclusions are made regarding culturally competent therapy with African-American families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Science, Ohio State University, 1787 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. bean.52@osu.edu
authors.forename: Roy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bean
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Tina M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bedell
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D003405:Creativity; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008388:Marital Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011361:Professional Competence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014481:United States; D044465:White People