ABSTRACT
Demographic trends in the United States project increasing diversity; by 2042, minorities will comprise the majority population of the United States. The number of White, non-Hispanics will decrease to 46 per cent of the total population by 2050, whereas ethnic minorities are projected to increase significantly (US Census, 2008). The District of Columbia, California, Texas, Hawaii, and New Mexico are already majority-minority entities (US Census, 2010). Ethnic minorities comprise 62 per cent of the nation’s children, rising from 44 per cent in 2008 (US Census, 2008). In July 2011, for the first time in US history, minorities represented over half (50.4%) of the population of children under 1 year old (US Census, 2012). As this national trend continues, cross-cultural interactions will increase in frequency. These interactions can be positive or negative, dependent on the level of cultural competence held by the individuals involved.
