Journal article critique

Journal Article Critique Psychology Cover page Mental health counselors do not always pay sufficient attention to the social privileges that cause significant effect on persons lifestyle and actions. It is discovered that inability to notice and appreciate any privileges may cause negative influence on a personal development and efficiency. The case analysis of Chris and his therapist helps in showing importance of patients acceptance of class advantages. White middle-class privileges should be comprehended and noted during therapy since their realization is prone to improve the effectiveness of mental health treatment.
Journal Article Critique
Purpose
The authors of the research article study the existence and peculiarities of White middle class and define privileges of its representatives. The main purpose of the study is to demonstrate correlation of these privileges with such aspects as race and racism. The initial task of the research is to raise counselors’ awareness of privilege that takes place among people within middle class and encourage mental health professionals to implement this knowledge into practice. Liu, Pickett and Ivey (2007) are prone to highlight importance for multicultural competency of counseling and prove the link of White middle-class privilege with various dimensions that should be taken into account during therapy sessions.
Method
The authors use qualitative research method that represents observation of subjects and analysis of the case study. There are two participants of the case: a twenty-three-year-old patient named Chris, who belongs to White middle class family with approved perspectives for job career, and his counselor, whose crucial task is to find main reasons and resolve the problem of the man’s poor academic performance. The counselor implements cognitive-behavioral approach and offers social skills training in order to define Chris’s attitude to his studying, future job in family business and alcohol dependence. Also the counselor encourages his patient to realize how exactly existed privileges, which Christ does not notice, prevent his motivation and personal progress.
Findings
It has been found that there is a direct connection between existence of privilege and persons self-appraisal. While some authors may refer the notion of middle class to age, location and income, the study suggests that other variables, including race and religion, are required to be taken into account since two individuals with the same characteristics may have drastically diverse lifestyles. It has been concluded that situations and surrounding atmosphere encourage development of privileges, which individuals take for granted accepting such conditions as normality. Realizing privileges and analyzing expectations may cause positive effect on therapy.
Discussion
In order to prove theoretical part of proposed hypothesis, the article provides extensive literature review refuting or confirming the statements of other researchers. The purpose of the study has been successfully achieved with a careful analysis of the case that discovers patients perception, expectations and attitude to the specific aspects of his professional life. The authors offer several examples that indicate the vivid connection between White middle-class privilege and such variables as race, religion and gender.
Implications for Multicultural Counseling
The case of Chris indicates that due to own inability to understand existed privileges, the patient displays protest to those things that do not meet his expectations by force of visiting parties, drinking alcohol and showing poor academic results. In this respect, counselors should raise their awareness and always pay attention to social class disparities in order to improve efficiency of training and therapy sessions. For creating multicultural competence, it is important for counselors to consider culture of social groups while analyzing patients behavior since frequently the reason of major problems lies exactly in class privilege.
Recommendations
The limitation of this research consists in the data gathered on basis of one particular middle-class representative. For the further study, it is important to analyze several cases of individuals with the same problematic behavior and reveal their perception and comprehension of White middle-class privilege. In addition, it is recommended to study other social problems, apart from the alcohol consumption, poor academic performance, defined in advance job opportunities along with the lack of personal motivation, and reveal peoples attitude under the influence of social privileges.
Reference
Liu, W., Pickett, T., & Ivey. A. (2007). White middle-class privilege: Social class bias and implications for training and practice. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 35(4), 194-206.