Community

Where is the client’s community? How many people of similar ethnocultural backgrounds live there? How does this community compare with the former community ? If the client is an immigrant, what were the conditions of his or her arrival? Is he or she in the United States legally? Ask: “How would you describe your community? How is it similar or different from your home community? How did you come to this country?” How are the client or the client’s parents employed? What is their socioeconomic status ? Ask: “What do you do for a living? How are you and your family doing ?nancially?” What parts of the community does the client perceive to be supportive? Is he or she a member of a spiritual community and, if so, what is the level of involvement? How does he or she view institutions such as government, schools, and so on? Ask: “Where do you go, or whom do you see when you need help with something? How important is spirituality to you? Do you practice any particular faith? How often do you visit with your children’s teachers? Are you comfortable visiting with your children’s teachers? How do you feel when you see a police of?cer?” Multicultural and Diversity Issues 3934. Are there any observable signs of racism, discrimination, or prejudice in his or her community? Does the client feel welcome or valued in the community? Ask: “Have you experienced prejudice or any racist behaviors in your community? What would you like me to know about these incidents?” The fourth domain of culture and context is communication style. It includes the extent to which a person is able to send and receive accurate information as he or she interacts with his or her environment. Certainly, a great potential for dif?culty exists in this domain because interpretation of verbal and nonverbal information is so dependent on cultural background. For example, direct eye contact can be interpreted as hostile and disrespectful behavior from the perspective of some cultures, while avoiding direct eye contact can be interpreted as resistant or disrespectful in others. In the same way, inability to adequately express yourself verbally to another presents dif?culties.