Human Diversity

Abstract

Diversity is used because many world view differences are the results of factors other than a person country of origin. In this nation there are certain groups that are not always thought of as distinct cultures but in each case, there members share a world view that differs in important ways from that of the mainstream or dominant cultures. Examples of these groups include African American, Native Americans and groups with distinct characteristics based on their life style and experiences with discrimination and prejudices.

Introductory Sentence

            As a social worker you cannot refuse to work with a client’s simply on the base of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation and so on. You must learn and know to work with a diverse population. We will also explore the elderly, homosexuals, person with physical difficulties and individuals with HIV disease.

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Discrimination refers to negative behaviors directed toward other people based on certain characteristics such as their race, ethnicity, or gender. Prejudices refer negatives attitudes towards other groups and may or may not include behavior manifestations. As a social worker you cannot refuse to work with her simply on the base of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation and so on. If you feel there is an ethical dilemma you should refer the client to another worker. Your personal views may not interfere with your objectivity. For instance if a qualified gay couple to adopt a child you must support their  decision just as you will support a straight couple, regardless of how you feel about gay adoption.  Stereotypes are a commonly held popular belief about specific social groups or types of individual. Stereotypes are standardized and simplified conceptions of groups based on some prior assumptions. Cross-cultural counseling occurs whenever the cultural heritage of the counselor and the client differ. Because culture impacts how we view the world, including values, beliefs, behaviors, customs, etc., cultural differences must be attended to if counseling is to be effective. Counselors and other health care providers require unusual life experiences and extensive special training if they are to practice with cultural competence in one or more cultures that are different from their own. Acculturation is defined as the process of adopting traits of another cultural including its beliefs, attitudes, values and language. Racial or ethnic identity refers to a sense of collected identity based on the perception that one shares common racial or ethnic heritage with a particular group.

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When working with a client who culture differs from your own you should openly acknowledge your awareness of the differences between you and client and actively support  and explore rather the client have any concerns about the difference. You should also be willing to seek consultation and do research to learn more about the client culture. A client from a different culture may report an agency behavior while upsetting to you may be approved in her culture group. You should educate yourself about different culture behaviors.  In some cultures the concept and process of psychotherapy may be unfamiliar or even unaccepted. African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic Americans, tend to reply on help from family members and to use outside sources as a last resort. Therefore needing and seeking help from a mental health professional can engender there shame, fear and other discomfort. A to further facilitate the development of rapport you should attempt to establish your trusting worthiness early on. Creditability refers to the client perception of your ability to be a trust worthy and effective helper. With a different culture client you can receive credibility by acknowledging your difference to the client and demonstrating you are a sensitive to and respect her culture background.  And you can understand her problem is a culturally relevant framework.

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Social displacement theory proposes that immigrants and refugees usually feel happy and optimistic when they arrive in the U.S. There after experience, depression, confusion and frustration. There are likely to display the most serve mental health problems at the end of the first year through the third year after moving to the U.S. Immigrants may suffer PSTD. In terms of world view, you should know that among African Americans the family traditionally like both nuclear and extend family members. Children are taught to respect and obey there adults and elders. Children come independent often early. Gender roles tend to be flexible. Despite their difference there is a deep sense of mutual responsibility. This is consider a strength and contributor to self-esteem and is believe arise from long experiences with discrimination and poverty. Cultural transference may occur if an African American client has experience racism projective on to a non-black therapist feeling because of her past experience with non-black people. Cultural paranoia goals of treatment with such a clients are to correct the presenting problem confront the meaning of her paranoia help her bring into conscious awareness her negative feeling toward whites ability to distinguish and help her when it is and is not important to self-disclose. Multi system approach in tells taking full advantage of all the appropriate resources available in the community. Important goals including increasing the clients awareness of all the available support systems is and resources and empowering her to use them. Extend family is often treatment of choice.

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Native Americans place more emphasis on the extend family and tribe than on the individual. Extend family member and other members of the trade are treated like the immediate family members. The family is usually centered by the grandparents who surprise the children and pass on legends and values. Native American is likely to exhibit a spiritual orientation to life that emphasize harmony with nature And regard illness as a result of disarming. The goals for native clients are happiness, wisdom, or peace with nature. Experts recommend using a non-directive collateral problem solving approach. Last you should recognize and respect Native Americans forms of self-treatment and healings and consider elders and other healers in the treatment process. Age, sex, and generation status are the primary factors of role behaviors in the family. Family roles are structured so they don’t conflict with one another. Native American also avoids eye contact. Hispanic Cultures emphasize family welfare or individual welfare and promote inter-dependence over independence. Parents for example provide for their children until adult hood and expect to be cared for in return. Extend family, close friends, god parents are the major sources of emotional support and it is considered shameful to go outside the next work to discuss family problems. Catholic Church may display an important role in the life of a family. Father and husbands holds final authority and are expected to protect the family and provide its materials needs. Mothers are expecting to nurture and educate the children. It is important to not suggest treatment that being change to the masculine and feminist behavior.

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When working with elderly you help them find meaning in life, coping with change in loss, coming to terms with the mass, and conflicts with the family. Aging is associated with multiple losses for example retirement, death of a love one, loss of independence, los of familiarity and productive roles, los of physical function and loss of time. According to Erickson, the final stage in the life cycle is integrity vs. disappear. The older person has an opportunity to integrate all aspects of her life and doing so successfully help her remain active and involved in life. Experts recommend using multi-model approach with the elderly client. Grief therapy and crisis intervention are the most frequent used clinician intervention models used for elderly clients. When working with elderly client you will generally have the following goals, first you should provide the information they need to make informed choices, help them identify alternatives, second you should offer support as the cope with feelings, third help them figure out how to prioritize their needs. Gay clients seek help for reasons that have nothing to do with their sexual orientation. You must recognize the ways of the membership to an oppress group may play a role in the presenting problem. Some issues that affect gay people and not heterosexuals include coming out, relationship with other, people who don’t know they’re gay and discrimination and homophobia.

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The American disability act defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that put a limit to one or more of individual major activities. This act prohibits discrimination against person with disabilities during employment. When counseling HIV clients there are several cell types that can be affect by HIV but the most important ones belong to the immune system. Most adults affected by HIV pass through four disease stages, acute infection, a systematic, chronic or systematic and AID’s.  Overall however people with HIV disease are at risk for adjustment, anxiety and depressive disorders. Some of the common presenting issue with HIV positive clients includes loss of social support due to ones prejudice, irrational fears or inability to cope with illness, loss of financial security due to high medical cost. HIV support groups tend to be most effective when they focus on positive attitudes and hope and provide member with tangible outcomes such as information and friendship with others in a similar situation. Duty of warn is only for future suspect.  

What is most interesting about this podcast?

The most interesting thing in this podcast was the explanation of the different cultures. Human diversity is the difference among people and how those differences make an effect on society. These differences can include biological, social, and cultural differences.  Each culture has different beliefs and values and you cannot use the same intervention for all cultures. You should learn about each culture.

What can you share with other students about this podcast?

I would recommend other social worker students listen to this podcast because it will expand your understanding on cultures, as well as help you on the social work exam.   When working with a client who culture differs from your own you should openly acknowledge your awareness of the differences between you and client and actively support  and explore rather the client have any concerns about the difference. You should also be willing to seek consultation and do research to learn more about the client culture.

Concluding Sentence

In conclusion, Sue recommends that you attempt to offer concrete assistance in the first meeting with the client. In some cases a culturally diverse client will have difficulties trusting their therapist. The client culture background must be taken into account when making and assessment and diagnosis. Certain behaviors and interventional patterns are considered adaptive in the clients culture may be considered maladaptive in yours or vice versa. Culture-bound syndrome is a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms that are considered to be a recognizable disease only within a specific society or culture. There is no objective biochemical or structural alterations of body organs or functions, and the disease is not recognized in other cultures. While a substantial portion of mental disorders, in the way they are manifested and experienced, are at least partially conditioned by the culture in which they are found, some disorders are more culture-specific than others.