Whose Multicultural Orientation Matters Most? Examining Additive and Compensatory Effects of the Group's and Leader's Multicultural Orientation in Group Therapy

Objective: The multicultural orientation (MCO) framework has received increased attention within the multicultural group work literature. However, most of this research has examined cultural processes between group members and how cultural processes of the group-as-a-whole directly impact outcomes of individual members. As such, the effect of group leaders' MCO on members' improvement has largely been ignored. Understanding the complex interaction between leaders' and group members' MCO is critical to advance this body of literature and further understand the dynamic interplay of cultural processes between leaders and members of therapy groups. Method: Data for this study consisted of 101 group members across 48 interpersonal process groups at 12 university counseling centers. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis were conducted to test additive and compensatory effects between members' perceptions of their group's and their leaders' MCO on their perceived improvement in group therapy. Results: Clients' estimated improvement was highest when their perceptions of their group's and leaders' cultural humility were congruent and high (i.e., additive effect). Additionally, clients' estimated improvement was highest when clients perceived either (a) the group high in cultural missed opportunities and leaders low in cultural missed opportunities or (b) the group low in cultural missed opportunities and leaders high in cultural missed opportunities (i.e., compensatory effect). Conclusions: This article grows the existing body of literature on MCO orientation by exploring how group's and leaders' MCO interact in complex and important ways with client's perceived improvement in therapy. Both leaders and members should engage in cultural aspects of the group.