Multicultural Findings and Considerations from Brief Interventions

This chapter discusses cultural considerations in brief treatments for children, adolescents, and young adults. Although only about 12% of the world’s population lives in Western, educated, industrialized, and developed countries, over 80% of research findings come from these regions. While modern psychotherapies are grounded in Western values, cultural adaptations have shown promising results. Mainstream treatments may be ineffective or harmful to diverse clients, as cultural values and understanding of mental health and healing may not be recognized, or worse, pathologized by ethnocentric therapists. Treatment must be developmentally appropriate, target the client’s presenting diagnosis, and consider the client’s cultural factors and the interrelated psychosocial systems that span the youth’s life.