Beyond Cultural Competence: Qualitative Review of Challenges Faced by Western-Trained Arab Therapists
Research Poster Social & Behavioral Sciences 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Kaitlyn Arrow
Exhibition Number 107
Abstract
In this qualitative review, all articles and chapters were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis, identifying what challenges clinicians in the ME face when attempting to use Western psychological frameworks and what cultural adaptations were found to be effective for their Arab clients. This literature review included two review processes. The first analyzed peer-reviewed articles from the PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases using similar search criteria to the systematic literature review published by Gearing and colleagues in 2013 to include more recently published literature from December 1st, 2010, until November 22nd, 2024. With these search criteria, 44 articles were identified in MEDLINE, and 21 articles were identified in PsycINFO. While Gearing and colleagues did not include review articles in their analysis, they were included in this review. The second review process was of chapters included in international counseling handbooks (e.g., Moodley et al., 2012; Moodley et al., 2015) that describe clinicians’ experiences working in the ME and the challenges they have faced in trying to understand and create more indigenous psychological frameworks for Arab culture. After analyzing the literature from both parts of the review process using thematic analysis, the barriers and effective strategies found were grouped into three main categories: Educational and Health Systems, Clinical Training, and Societal Factors. The most prominent themes were the cultural dimensions necessary to address when developing indigenous modalities or adapting Western ones, such as gender, family, religion, language, and community values.
Importance
Most psychological research has been conducted and validated in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations (Arnett, 2008; Gardiner et al., 2020). Fortunately, psychology is recognizing the need for cultural competency in clinicians. However, with cultural groups outside the U.S. underrepresented in psychological research, such as those in the Middle East (ME), how can clinicians expect to understand their clients’ cultures? There is a gap in the literature that addresses how clinicians in the ME or who work with Arab clients adapt the Western frameworks and interventions they were trained in to be effective in Arab culture. This review aims to identify the challenges clinicians face and effective adaptations when using Western interventions with Arab clients.
DEI Statement
Most psychological research has been conducted and validated in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations (Arnett, 2008; Gardiner et al., 2020). Fortunately, psychology is recognizing the need for cultural competency in clinicians. However, with cultural groups outside the U.S. underrepresented in psychological research, such as those in the Middle East (ME), how can clinicians expect to understand their clients’ cultures? There is a gap in the literature that addresses how clinicians in the ME or who work with Arab clients adapt the Western frameworks and interventions they were trained in to be effective in Arab culture. This review aims to identify the challenges clinicians face and effective adaptations when using Western interventions with Arab clients.