This paper is a discussion of Ethnicity and Family Therapy, a collection of essays edited by Monica McGoldrick, John K. Pearce, and Joseph Giordano, studying the importance and impact of ethnicity and culture in family therapy practice. Each individual's cultural background determines the way in which he or she deals with crisis and reacts to psychological problems. This background also affects the individual's family dynamics, and therapists who include the family in the treatment program must understand the ways in which ethnicity and culture can have an impact on the intervention process. This book includes a broad range of studies, profiling the ways in which different cultures view the family, consider time, and think about outside intervention. Although some factors that first appear to be related to culture turn out to cross ethnic boundaries, many other elements can affect the way a family reacts to therapy. The book also suggests that the therapist's own ethnic background is a factor for consideration, affecting his or her reactions to the family and interpretation of therapeutic efficacy. Ethnicity and Family Therapy provides a thought-provoking overview of the kinds of issues that must be considered in any approach to planning a family therapy treatment program.
According to McGoldrick and her colleagues (1982), ethnic and cultural considerations have been largely ignored in family therapy study. Because the United States is so culturally diverse, including residents from almost every other cultural background on the planet, the subject may appear to be too overwhelming for meaningful contemplation. Many therapists may have chosen to focus on the commonalities among human beings, rather than the elements that differentiate them. While this may be useful in promoting harmony within a pluralistic society, it is not especially conducive to treating psychological problems.
Instead, McGoldrick and her colleagues...