Panel Discussion 21 - Incorporating Culture into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Ethnically Diverse Populations: Recent Advances in Clinical Practice, Training, and Dissemination

Despite evidence that cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs) are effective for racial and ethnic minoritized populations, there are persisting disparities in access and outcomes. Increased recognition of the importance of addressing culture in CBT to improve treatment engagement and effectiveness has spurred the development and testing of culturally adapted CBTs, however, little is known about whether cultural sensitivity training enhances the effectiveness of standard CBT due to the dearth of relevant clinical trials. The goal of this panel is to advance efforts to disseminate CBT in marginalized communities by debating topics such as: When and how do we culturally adapt CBT?  How do universal, individual and group characteristics interact to influence the personal relevance of CBT for members of culturally diverse groups ? What are best practices for training clinicians to conduct CBT in a culturally responsive way? Does skills-based training in cultural competence affect overall CBT competency? To address these questions, a culturally diverse team of panelists will 1) summarize the state of the evidence concerning culturally sensitive CBT for ethnically diverse populations, (2) discuss a framework for developing a culturally inclusive clinical formulation and treatment plan in CBT without inflating stereotypes, using clinical examples to highlight the benefits of this framework, 3) identify unique difficulties experienced by individuals raised by immigrant parents and describe intervention strategies that may help those struggling with competing cultural identities, 4) report on the development of a tool for informing clinical decisions regarding when and how to culturally adapt treatment, 5) demonstrate how multicultural counseling principles can enhance CBT consultation, and 6) provide examples for partnering with community-based organizations to disseminate culturally adapted family-based behavioral interventions to prevent suicide in Asian-American and Latinx immigrant youth.