Relationship between orientation toward multicultural competence, multicultural competent behaviors, and working alliance: Examining a multigroup mediation model

In this study, the researchers examined the relationship among an orientation toward multicultural counseling competence, multicultural competent behaviors, and the working alliance from the perspective of 574 client participants across various therapeutic dyads. There was a positive relationship between clients' perspectives on counselors' multicultural orientation, counselors' multicultural competent behavior, and working alliance. Multicultural competent behaviors mediated the relationship between an orientation toward multicultural competence and working alliance. However, the mediated effect was inconsistent across cross and similar racial/ethnic therapeutic dyads. Implications for counselors, limitations of the study, and future directions for research are provided.