Clinical Training with Undocumented Latinx Immigrant Minors: Case Examples and Reflections using the Multicultural Developmental Supervisory Model (MDSM) as a Framework

Abstract

As of 2017, the number of international immigrants worldwide increased from 220 million to 248 million, and will continue to rise [16]. Growing diversity worldwide requires a stronger emphasis on multicultural competency among mental health professionals. Learning multicultural competency skills is a career-long commitment that begins in practicum training and is modeled and reinforced through supervision. The Multicultural Developmental Supervisory Model (MDSM) is an evidence-based model that focuses on supervisory dyads and multicultural competence [12]. Using the MDSM [12] as a guide reflective of our training, four graduate supervisees share their supervision experiences in learning to conduct clinical interviews in Spanish with undocumented Latinx immigrant minors in government custody in the United States, a rising population with unique clinical considerations. Our supervisor includes her experience in training and fortifying beginning mental health professionals’ skills in conducting these evaluations. In this contribution, we illustrate our trajectory from different training developmental stages, including the process of conceptualizing clinical cases, and transitioning languages in conducting clinical interviews, as well as considering our own cultural identities in clinical work. While our experience focuses on bicultural and bilingual training in the U.S., this aspect of clinical training is growing increasingly relevant around the world, especially in Europe where 54% of the population is multilingual [10]. Although we used the MDSM model as a helpful framework in guiding our multicultural development, empirical research is needed to examine the utility of this model.

Keywords

• immigration
• minors
• supervisee-supervisor
• multicultural competence