ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to describe how culture enters into the psychological treatment of ethnically diverse populations. The chapter takes a multicultural approach rather than a cross-cultural perspective, although many of the observations are applicable to other cultures. More specifically, it focuses on four major ethnic groups (African Americans/Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Native Americans), recognizing that there is a rich diversity of other ethnic groups in this country. Although the focus of the chapter is on the treatment process, it is important to discuss two major trends that will have a direct impact on this process: changes in the ethnic profile and changes in the delivery of mental health services in the United States. Both of these changes will have an important impact on mental health services to ethnic clients.
