Student Perceptions of Multicultural Training and Program Climate in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs

The current investigation assessed clinical psychology doctoral student perceptions of their program's multicultural training and program climate regarding multiculturalism. The study employed an online mixed-methods, cross-sectional design, with graduate student participants from American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited clinical psychology programs across the United States. Participants (N = 397) completed self-report quantitative and qualitative measures of perceptions of their program's multicultural training and program climate regarding multiculturalism. Results demonstrated that perceptions differed by important demographics (e.g., lower perceptions of multicultural training and program climate among self-identified Black students compared with non-Hispanic White students) and program characteristics (e.g., higher scores in those aware of a program-specific diversity committee). Qualitative data indicated important areas of growth for their programs, including integrating diversity training throughout the curriculum, recruiting and retaining underrepresented students and faculty, expanding experiential opportunities to gain exposure to multiculturalism, and reducing the variability among faculty in their responsiveness and willingness to address student concerns regarding multiculturalism.