CROSS-CULTURAL ISSUES IN CLINICAL-PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING-PROGRAMS

In line with wide-spread demands by Maori people for a culturally-sensitive health care system, and concerns regarding the appropriateness of cross-cultural therapy, recent years have witnessed an increasing need for Maori clinical psychologists. A survey of New Zealand university clinical psychology training programmes indicated that almost all clinical staff are Paheka and only half of the programmes have any Maori trainees. Despite some efforts to encourage more Maori applicants and attempts to include a bi-cultural focus in training, in both content and process, the emphasis on western psychological theories and treatments remains predominant. Potential difficulties for Maori students as they apply for and train in clinical diploma programmes are examined, and the ability of existing training programmes to adequately prepare students for work with Maori clients is discussed.