The role of race/ethnicity in clinical judgment in couples and family therapy

This research examined how training and experience, family roles, gender and ethnicity affect ratings of family and individual functioning. Untrained undergraduates and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) members’ ratings of case histories that described various ethnic families were compared as a measure of client ethnicity effects. Participant perceptions of case vignettes were compared to determine the relative influence of family race on the clinical judgment of family and individual family member functioning.

Three hundred fifty five (126 untrained, 229 experienced) adults from a large Southwestern University and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy participated in the research. Participants were randomly assigned to the three interview conditions: (a) Caucasian family, (b) Asian family, and (c) Hispanic family. After reading the case vignettes, participants completed parent and family assessment forms for each of the three family vignettes.