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Evaluation ViewAttendees 3

Culture / Ethnicity / Race
Symposia

Symposium 120 - Investigating Minority Perspectives on Therapeutic Strategies and Approaches

Sunday, November 17, 2024
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
Location: Franklin Hall 10, Level 4, Downtown Marriott
CE: 1.5

Keywords: Underserved Populations, CBT, Clinical Decision Making
Level of Familiarity: Moderate
Recommended Readings: Ezawa, I. D., & Hollon, S. D. (2023). Cognitive restructuring and psychotherapy outcome: A meta-analytic review. Psychotherapy, 60, 396–406. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000474,  

Ford, B. Q., & Troy, A. S. (2019). Reappraisal reconsidered: A closer look at the costs of an acclaimed emotion-regulation strategy. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28, 195–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721419827526


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Ezawa, I. D., Strunk, D. R. (2022). Differences in the delivery of cognitive behavioral therapy for depression when therapists work with black and white patients. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 46, 104–113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-021-10254-0


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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the most studied and empirically supported of the treatments for various mental health conditions (Butler et al., 2006). CBT has been shown to be effective in the short-term as compared to other bona fide treatment options as well as remain effective in the long-term past treatment completion (Hollon et al., 2006; Strunk et al., 2017). The CBT model asserts that, by teaching clients strategies to reappraise their thoughts, they can feel better as a result (Beck et al., 1979). There is accumulating empirical support for the role of such cognitive methods in predicting improvements in therapy (Ezawa & Hollon, 2023). 

One serious limitation of the prior research on CBT is that this work has been conducted on largely White, educated, Western samples. This limitation has led to concerns that findings related to the processes, outcomes, and general reach of CBT may not generalize to minoritized populations. Even more concerningly, the lack of focus of minoritized populations has led some researchers and therapists alike to question whether CBT and its core strategies may be fundamentally unhelpful for minoritized populations, and if so, if CBT’s strategies can be adapted or changed to meet the need of more diverse populations. In response to these serious concerns, many research groups are now evaluating the utility and perception of CBT and its strategies with diverse populations.

This symposium offers an in-depth examination of minoritized individuals' perceptions of treatments, treatment strategies, and the use of strategies in various contexts. Our first talk involves findings on the association between experiences of discrimination and the use of reappraisal and suppression strategies, along with how this relationship may be mediated by self-control and emotion regulation. Our second talk reports findings on participant preferences for therapists’ use of cognitive restructuring, validation, and hybrid cognitive/validation strategies in vignettes with varying levels of discrimination among participants with diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds currently endorsing depressive symptoms. Our third talk reviews results of a study comparing the efficacy of reappraisal strategies and experiencing emotions naturally for clients with sexual minority identities experiencing depression in vignettes that either did or did not simulate identity-based stress. Our fourth talk discusses findings on three interventions focused on increasing treatment-seeking rates, examining how often both Black and White participants with depression ended up seeking treatment. Our discussant, an expert on CBT interventions and processes of change in psychotherapy, will synthesize the findings presented and discuss their implications.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. Examine the utility of therapeutic strategies (e.g., cognitive reappraisal) among individuals with diverse identities.
  2. Discuss the role of coping strategies in altering the psychological impact of discrimination on minoritized individuals.
  3. Examine the intersectionality of race and attitudes toward treatment preferences among diverse clients.
  4. Examine the ways in which clients from diverse backgrounds perceive various therapeutic strategies.
  5. Discuss the ways treatment-seeking preferences change across individuals of various backgrounds.

Presentations:

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 120) Exploring the Role of Self-control and Impression Management Motives in Shaping the Use of Reappraisal and Suppression in Response to Discrimination

    Speaker: Dorainne Green, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Indiana University

    Co-author: Trinity Barnes, None – Indiana University

    Co-author: Neelamberi Klein, M.S. – Indiana University

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 120) Examining the Helpfulness of Therapeutic Methods Through Clinical Vignettes in Diverse Populations Experiencing Depression

    Speaker: Graham C. Bartels, M.S. (he/him/his) – The Ohio State University

    Co-author: Iony D. Ezawa, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – University of Southern California

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 120) Emotion Regulation and Discrimination: Exploring the Dynamic Relationship Between Emotion Regulation and Identity-based Stressors

    Speaker: Robinson De Jesus-Romero, M.S. (he/him/his) – Indiana University

    Co-author: Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, Ph.D. – Indiana University

    Co-author: Dorainne Green, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Indiana University

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 120) Help-seeking Interventions Differentially Increase Treatment-seeking Rates in Black and White Americans

    Speaker: Cameryn A. Cooley, B.A. (she/her/hers) – The Ohio State University

    Co-author: Kassidie S. Harmon, M.S. – The Ohio State University

    Co-author: Jennifer S. Cheavens, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – The Ohio State University