Date of Award

12-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Program

Counselor Education

Department

Counselor Education

Major Professor

Christopher T. Belser, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Zarus Watson, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Kimberly Frazier, Ph.D.

Fourth Advisor

Anabel Mifsud, Ph.D.

Abstract

Multiculturalism is not a new concept within the field of counseling. It is discussed in terms adjacent to competency, theory, and identity development. However, research indicates that students do not usually feel multiculturally-competent following their graduation from counseling programs, nor do they feel that they have adequate skills and techniques to engage diverse clientele. This critical grounded theory study examines counseling skills, dispositional factors, systemic factors, and other experiential factors used in pursuit of rapport within counseling dyads of ethnocultural dissimilarity. Semi-structured interview data was coded to reveal five themes to be used as a heuristic for further discovery. These themes create implications for counselors who may need assistance building rapport; clinical supervisors who may need to incorporate cultural concepts into their supervisory processes and practices; and counselor educators wishing to assist students with the development of their multicultural lens. Additionally, recommendations for future research within counselor education are included.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

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