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This paper reviews a selection of the recent literature on issues pertaining to multicultural clients in counseling, focusing on the current demographics of such populations, the prevalence of mental illness and utilization of mental health services, and particular cultural concerns in working with such populations, including aspects of acculturation and racial identity development. Finally, this review surveys the research on aspects of the counseling relationship, with attention paid to the impact of ethnicity on the formation and development of the counseling relationship. (Contains 77 references.) (Author)

This paper reviews a selection of the recent literature on issues pertaining to multicultural clients in counseling, focusing on the current demographics of such populations, the prevalence of mental illness and utilization of mental health services, and particular cultural concerns in working with such populations, including aspects of acculturation and racial identity development. Finally, this review surveys the research on aspects of the counseling relationship, with attention paid to the impact of ethnicity on the formation and development of the counseling relationship. (Contains 77 references.) (Author)

This study attempted to develop psychometric properties of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS), an instrument used to assess the awareness, skills, and knowledge of counselors working with the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) population. A sample of 287 undergraduates, master-level and doctoral-level students, and counseling psychologists were surveyed. Four distinct factors were indicated: awareness; skills; knowledge; and social desirability. Criterion validity was demonstrated by the significant relationships found between SOCCS scores and participants' education level, sexual orientation, and religious conservatism. It was minimally correlated with the Beck Depression Inventory. Strong correlations were found between the SOCCS and measures of homoprejudice, multicultural counselor competency, and counselor self-efficacy, thus establishing convergent validity for the subscales of awareness, skills, and knowledge. The results of the survey demonstrated that the SOCCS is a reliable and valid instrument to assess the awareness, skills, and knowledge of counselors working with LGB clients. (Contains 5 tables, 1 appendix, and 21 references.) (Author/JDM)

This study attempted to develop psychometric properties of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS), an instrument used to assess the awareness, skills, and knowledge of counselors working with the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) population. A sample of 287 undergraduates, master-level and doctoral-level students, and counseling psychologists were surveyed. Four distinct factors were indicated: awareness; skills; knowledge; and social desirability. Criterion validity was demonstrated by the significant relationships found between SOCCS scores and participants' education level, sexual orientation, and religious conservatism. It was minimally correlated with the Beck Depression Inventory. Strong correlations were found between the SOCCS and measures of homoprejudice, multicultural counselor competency, and counselor self-efficacy, thus establishing convergent validity for the subscales of awareness, skills, and knowledge. The results of the survey demonstrated that the SOCCS is a reliable and valid instrument to assess the awareness, skills, and knowledge of counselors working with LGB clients. (Contains 5 tables, 1 appendix, and 21 references.) (Author/JDM)