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acnicole07
A brief explanation of at least two multicultural issues in the…
A brief explanation of at least two multicultural issues in the case study below. Then, explain which multicultural guidelines pertain to and might help address these issues and why.
Case study:
As a forensic psychologist working in a pretrial assessment center in your state department of corrections, you have conducted forensic assessments on many cases over the years. Sometimes the judges who order the evaluation want to know if the defendant is competent to stand trial. Sometimes they want an evaluation of a defendant’s responsibility at the time of the offense. (These cases are known as “insanity” evaluations to lay people.) And in some cases, judges will ask a number of different questions about a defendant’s current intellectual and/or emotional abilities so that they can hand down a more appropriate sentence.
In this morning’s staff meeting, you are assigned a case that initially looks like many others you have had. As you read the court order, you immediately recognize that there are two referral questions. (1) Is the defendant competent to stand trial? (2) Was he responsible for his behavior at the time of the alleged offense? You recognize the legal language of these two questions immediately. You have been doing these types of evaluations in your state for many years, but when you first started, you memorized the specific language for each of these issues. This has been very helpful to you as you realize different jurisdictions may have different standards, or ways they define these two issues. You knew to commit them to memory because when you were in graduate school at Walden University, you encountered a case study in one of your classes that suggested you do so. As you take the stack of paperwork associated with this new case back to your office and start reading about your new patient, you quickly realize that this case may be unlike any you have ever had before.
The basic description of the defendant and his alleged crime reveal that he is a 26-year-old, Asian male, whose parents immigrated to the United States when the defendant was 12 years old. He is charged with three counts of illegally discharging a firearm in a state park. He has no previous history of felony arrests, but he does have several misdemeanor convictions of loitering, public intoxication, vagrancy, and urinating in a public place. At most, he would have spent 30 days or less in the county jail for any one of these convictions. You also read that when he was arrested on his current felony charges, he had been camping at the state park for over a week. Other campers at the park had reported to the park ranger’s office that the defendant had been acting “odd” earlier in the week. When the park rangers approached the defendant, he did seem a bit strange. They couldn’t always understand what he was saying, but they had written this off to his being Asian and his “poor” mastery of the English language. He had not broken any park rules, so he was free to use the facilities just like any other person. Although he didn’t have an automobile, he did present a valid driver’s license. A quick check of the State’s Bureau of Investigation data base revealed no outstanding warrants. However, on the evening of his arrest, the defendant is alleged to have discharged a small caliber firearm three times into a vacant tent about 150 feet from the defendant’s camp site. The couple whose tent had been shot into had been out for a walk only to return and find three small holes in their tent’s side and a damaged radio that was apparently struck by one of the bullets. Before their walk, the couple had observed the defendant “dancing” around his camp fire and “singing” in a language they had not previously heard. Although the defendant had not previously approached them, they had thought his behavior strange and decided to walk to the ranger’s office to yet again make another report. When they found the office temporarily closed because the ranger was out making her rounds, they decided to go back to their camp site, pack up their gear, and move to a different location.
After the defendant’s uneventful arrest by two park rangers, a search of his camp site revealed an old .22 caliber revolver that was rusted and in poor condition. There were three remaining rounds in the six round capacity chamber. The rangers also found a small number of cloths that were soiled and worn. They found a knife and pieces of wood that had been carved into various shapes. As they explored the area around the camp site, the officers noticed several pieces of wood that appeared to have been carved in a fashion similar to the others, hanging from the trees and foliage. The defendant was said to be talking in a “foreign language” when he was arrested. It was apparent that he had not bathed for some time as his hygiene was poor. He did not resist arrest, but was said to be “mumbling” in a “foreign language.” His arrest had been two weeks ago. He had initially been detained in the local jail before appearing in court. He was then transferred to your facility just last evening.
After reading all of the available information on the case, you decide to go talk to the defendant in the cell block where he is confined. Your initial observation is of a young man of apparent Asian descent who greets you with some suspicion. However, as you introduce yourself and explain why you are there (this is called informed consent, which will be covered in next week’s ethics presentation), and what you have been asked to do, he speaks to you in English with a noticeable accent. As you ask him questions, he rarely makes eye contact. His head is bowed. He does tell you that English is his second language. He tells you his primary language is “Cardamom Khmer”, a language specific to a region of his native country, Cambodia. You have never heard of this “language” before. As you look about his cell you observe a tablet with odd looking writing and you inquire about its significance. He simply tells you he is writing to his family using “abugida.” You ask about his history. He reported that when he was young, he was taken from his parents by the “government” and taught how to torture, first animals, then people. He referred to the “evil ones” and seemed to be very suspicious when you suggested that he could call his parents. He mumbled something about his parents being “tainted by capitalism” and did not seem very keen about your idea. When you ask about his previous camp site, he seems to become afraid and refers to “them” and “evil ones” living in the forest. He tells you he is one of the “old people.” He then spontaneously starts talking about the “new people” and states, “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.” You look behind you to make sure you have an unhampered exit to the door in case the patient becomes aggressive. He then seems to say something about the “mountains” and the “jars of bones” and “the royal ones.” He then turns, sits on his bunk and starts to cry. You’re not sure what just took place, probably just psychotic ramblings. You say good-bye and leave the cell. You’ll try again tomorrow. You’ll want to use some psychological tests, but you’re afraid he’s too psychotic to take any. Still, you contemplate trying to administer an objective personality test tomorrow. No, maybe you’ll give him the Rorschach. First things first. You’ll have the psychiatrist evaluate him for possible antipsychotic medication. After a few days of medication, maybe he’ll be well enough to participate in testing. Time will tell.
Guidelines:
Guideline 1. Psychologists seek to recognize and understand that identity and self-definition are fluid and complex and that the interaction between the two is dynamic. To this end, psychologists appreciate that intersectionality is shaped by the multiplicity of the individual’s social contexts.
Guideline 2. Psychologists aspire to recognize and understand that as cultural beings, they hold attitudes and beliefs that can influence their perceptions of and interactions with others as well as their clinical and empirical conceptualizations. As such, psychologists strive to move beyond conceptualizations rooted in categorical assumptions, biases, and/or formulations based on limited knowledge about individuals and communities.
Guideline 3. Psychologists strive to recognize and understand the role of language and communication through engagement that is sensitive to the lived experience of the individual, couple, family, group, community, and/or organizations with whom they interact. Psychologists also seek to understand how they bring their own language and communication to these interactions.
Guideline 4. Psychologists endeavor to be aware of the role of the social and physical environment in the lives of clients, students, research participants, and/or consultees.
Guideline 5. Psychologists aspire to recognize and understand historical and contemporary experiences with power, privilege, and oppression. As such, they seek to address institutional barriers and related inequities, disproportionalities, and disparities of law enforcement, administration of criminal justice, educational, mental health, and other systems as they seek to promote justice, human rights, and access to quality and equitable mental and behavioral health services.
Guideline 6. Psychologists seek to promote culturally adaptive interventions and advocacy within and across systems, including prevention, early intervention, and recovery.
Guideline 7. Psychologists endeavor to examine the profession’s assumptions and practices within an international context, whether domestically or internationally based, and consider how this globalization has an impact on the psychologist’s self-definition, purpose, role, and function.
Guideline 8. Psychologists seek awareness and understanding of how developmental stages and life transitions intersect with the larger biosociocultural context, how identity evolves as a function of such intersections, and how these different socialization and maturation experiences influence worldview and identity.
Guideline 9. Psychologists strive to conduct culturally appropriate and informed research, teaching, supervision, consultation, assessment, interpretation, diagnosis, dissemination, and evaluation of efficacy as they address the first four levels of the Layered Ecological Model of the Multicultural Guidelines.
Guideline 10. Psychologists actively strive to take a strength-based approach when working with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations that seeks to build resilience and decrease trauma within the sociocultural context.
