Models of racial and ethnic identity development: Delineation of practice implications

Racial and ethnic identity is the exclusive focus in the development of guidelines for multicultural counseling proficiency (Taskforce, 2001). In this special issue of the Journal of Mental Health Counseling, several mental health professionals have illustrated how models of racial and ethnic identity can be applied to the case of Mr. X as an African American (Hargrow, 2001), Asian American (Alvarez & Kimura, 2001), Hispanic/Latino (Delgado-- Romero, 2001), and a biracial individual (Aldarondo, 2001). In addition, Daniels (2001) applied the White racial identity development model (Helms, 1995) to the White character in the case. In this article, I summarize common themes that emerged across these articles. Specifically, I discuss variables that need to be addressed when working with members of visible racial and ethnic groups (VREG; Cook & Helms, 1988), and delineate some assessment questions for counselors. These questions are not intended only for White counselors working with nonwhite clients, but also for nonWhite counselors working with nonWhite clients. As aptly captured by the title of Helms's (1992) book, these models challenge all counselors to "understand the White persons in the person's life."

COUNSELOR CULTURAL AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE

It has been noted that counselors are qualitative instruments whose assessments are also subjected to potential biases, especially when working with the racially and culturally different clients (Sue, 1996). A number of authors in this special issue have reinforced the importance to examine, along with knowledge of VREGs, counselors' own cultural values and biases, which invariably reflect one's racial and ethnic identity development and define the nature of the multicultural counseling relationship. According to the Interaction Process Model (Helms & Cook, 1999):

The therapist's expression of her or his underlying racial identity statuses influences his or her interaction to the client, and the client's underlying statuses, in turn, influence his or her reactions to the therapists ... [E]ach complementary response to the other person's observable expressions of his or her racial identity ... constitutes a relationship. (pp. 180-181)

Racial identity, therefore, represents an interactive, process variable, rather than merely a client or counselor status variable, that mediates the counseling relationship. As Sue (1988) has indicated, racial or ethnic match (i.e., based solely on racial classification or ethnic knowledge) is not sufficient for effective therapy to ensue. Instead,...