A need for ethnic similarity in the therapist-patient interaction? Mediterranean migrants in Dutch mental-health care.
Evidence concerning a preference for ethnic matching in the therapist-patient dyad and the effects of ethnic matching on treatment satisfaction is equivocal. This study examined the importance of ethnic similarity in mental-health care in the Netherlands. A convenience sample of 82 Turkish and 58 Moroccan outpatients in the community mental-health care was interviewed. Quantified data were analyzed using multivariate techniques. The majority of the respondents did not value ethnic matching as important; clinical competence and compassion were considered to be more relevant than ethnic background. An ethnically dissimilar therapist treated the majority of the outpatients. Outpatients treated by a native Dutch therapist reported similar satisfaction with the services provided as those treated by an ethnically similar therapist. According to Turkish and Moroccan outpatients in Dutch mental-health care, ethnic matching is not considered to be preferential nor essential for treatment satisfaction. Other health-care characteristics such as empathy, expertise, and sharing of worldview are considered to be as important.
Knipscheer
Jeroen W
JW
Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. j.knipscheer@fss.uu.nl
Kleber
Rolf J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D009426:Netherlands; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology