Communication Across Cultures: Cultural Competence in Social Work

COMMUNICATION ACROSS CULTURES

Communication Across Cultures

Cultural Competence in Social Work

If you ever find yourself struggling—economically, emotionally, or physically—there is someone who can help. In hospitals and schools, for government agencies and nonprofits, social workers are often the point person for individuals in need of health care, mental health services, social support, or simply assistance in navigating large bureaucratic systems such as immigration or the legal system.

The first step in providing this assistance is assessing the problem. Social workers identify client needs, for the most part, by asking questions and listening to answers. In fact, just about every aspect of the social worker’s responsibilities depends on skillful interviewing (Kadushin & Kadushin, 2013). A mother who does not wish to leave the hospital after delivering her baby, for example, might say that she does not feel well. But a skilled social worker will explore further to consider other factors that might be impacting the mother’s decision, such as postpartum depression, family violence, physical condition of the home, fear of parenting, or lack of social support to care for the child, as well as economic uncertainty. Only if the social worker can identify these concerns will he or she be able to link the mother with resources and services to ensure a healthy and safe situation for the family.

In this role, cultural competence is essential. A social worker seeking to help an undocumented immigrant who is the victim of a crime, for example, will likely face multiple challenges when interviewing a client. Obviously, language barriers can make communication difficult, but such concerns can usually be addressed with the use of an interpreter. However, other cultural factors can profoundly influence the way a client answers questions. Fear of deportation may make the client reluctant to seek assistance, or the client may worry that testifying in court will put his or her job in jeopardy. In cases of sexual assault, in particular, culturally bound gender expectations can make it difficult for some clients to speak frankly about what happened (Clarke, 2014).

Think About This

  1. If you were admitted into a hospital for extended care, would you be able to have a frank discussion with a social worker about your own medical history? What about your sexual history? Do you think your ability to speak about such things is culturally bound?

    Question

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    If you were admitted into a hospital for extended care, would you be able to have a frank discussion with a social worker about your own medical history? What about your sexual history? Do you think your ability to speak about such things is culturally bound?
  2. Is it possible for social workers to pay attention to all of the cultural dynamics at play in an interview? How can social workers pay attention to salient cultural factors without resorting to stereotyping their clients based on culture or gender?

    Question

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    Is it possible for social workers to pay attention to all of the cultural dynamics at play in an interview? How can social workers pay attention to salient cultural factors without resorting to stereotyping their clients based on culture or gender?
  3. For social workers, which is more important: asking the right questions or listening to and interpreting answers? How important are follow-up questions?

    Question

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    For social workers, which is more important: asking the right questions or listening to and interpreting answers? How important are follow-up questions?