Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training,
Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists
American Psychological Association
Approved as APA Policy by the APA Council of Representatives, August, 2002
Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research,
Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists
All individuals exist in social, political, historical, and economic contexts, and
psychologists are increasingly called upon to understand the influence of these contexts
on individuals' behavior. The Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training,
Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists reflect the continuing
evolution of the study of psychology, changes in society–at–large, and emerging data
about the different needs for particular individuals and groups historically marginalized
or disenfranchised within and by psychology based on their ethnic/racial heritage and
social group identity or membership. These Guidelines on Multicultural Education,
Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change reflect knowledge and skills
needed for the profession in the midst of dramatic historic sociopolitical changes in U.S.
society, as well as needs from new constituencies, markets, and clients.
The specific goals of these Guidelines are to provide psychologists with: (a) the
rationale and needs for addressing multiculturalism and diversity in education, training,
research, practice, and organizational change; (b) basic information, relevant
terminology, current empirical research from psychology and related disciplines, and
other data that support the proposed guidelines and underscore their importance; (c)
references to enhance on–going education, training, research, practice, and organizational
change methodologies; and (d) paradigms that broaden the purview of psychology as a
profession.
In these Guidelines, education refers to the psychological education of students in
all areas of psychology, while training refers more specifically to the application of that
education to the development of applied and research skills. We refer to research that
involves human participants, rather than research using animals or mathematical
simulations. Practice refers to interventions with children, adolescents, adults, families,
and organizations, typically conducted by clinical, consulting, counseling, organizational,
and school psychologists. Finally, we focus on the work of psychologists as
administrators, consultants, and in other organizational management roles positioned to
promote organizational change and policy development.
These Guidelines address U.S. ethnic and racial minority1 groups as well as
individuals, children, and families from biracial, multiethnic, and multiracial
backgrounds. Thus, we are defining "multicultural" in these Guidelines narrowly, to
refer to interactions between individuals from minority ethnic and racial groups in the
United States and the dominant European–American culture. Ethnic and racial minority
group membership includes individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander, Sub–Saharan Black
African, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American/American Indian descent, although there
is great heterogeneity within each of these groups. The Guidelines also address
psychologists' work and interactions with individuals from other nations, including
international students and immigrants and temporary workers in this country.
The term "guidelines" refers to pronouncements, statements or declarations that
suggest or recommend specific professional behavior, endeavors or conduct for
psychologists (APA, 1992). Guidelines differ from standards in that standards are
mandatory and may be accompanied by an enforcement mechanism (APA, 2001). They
are intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession and to
help assure a high level of professional practice by psychologists. Guidelines are not
intended to be mandatory or exhaustive and may not be applicable to every professional
and clinical situation. They are not definitive and they are not intended to take
precedence over the judgment of psychologists. In addition, federal or state laws may
supercede these Guidelines.
