Running head: CAPSTONE PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW PAPER

Capstone Psychology Review Paper

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Abstract

Social workers that operate in societies of diverse cultures and ethnic plural societies are

faced with many challenges on a daily basis as they carry out their duties. Given that fact, this

study purposes to identify the challenges that the social workers encounter while working the

multi-cultured societies. The challenges are observed to be diverse in nature and thus requiring a

social worker to be professional for effective work. Furthermore, the challenges are discovered to

range from differences in language, sex, age, gender, and race to mention but a few. Despite the

challenges, the social worker is very crucial in society and thus has to keep offering a service to

the clients. Moreover, the world is still in need of social workers due to the diversity in the

number of challenges that individuals face. It certainly calls for solutions to the challenges faced

by social workers in a multi-cultured society. In regards to that, the study further suggests

strategies that the social worker can adopt to overcome the challenges.
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Capstone Psychology Review Paper

The Multi-Cultural Society

Introduction

A multi-cultural society is one of today's crucial characteristics and sensitive issues while

working. It owes to the fact that individuals have migrated from one place to another for various

reasons. Furthermore, various changes have taken place over time in regards to language, sex,

gender, abilities, ethnic group, or even race. It, therefore, creates a challenging situation for the

social worker while they carry out their duties. For example in the study, it shall be observed that

social workers face challenges that include language problems according to lack of a common

language and difference in the code of behavior. Furthermore, lack of knowledge of the client's

background, differences in the socio-economic background, and age differences to mention but a

few affect the work of the social worker. The study also suggests various strategies that can be

adapted to help the social worker overcome the faced challenges in a multi-cultural society.

Altogether, the study purposes to identify and make a critical assessment of the challenges faced

by social workers in a multi-cultural society alongside suggesting strategies to be adopted.

Challenges Faced by Social Workers in a Multi-cultural Society

Communication Problems Due to Lack of a Common Language

Language is one of the notable features of a multicultural society. Certainly, individuals

in a multi-cultural society use various languages to communicate since they come from different

parts of the world. In a study carried out by Bø (2014), it was noted that communication

problems following the lack of a common language is one of the most prominent challenges

faced by social workers. For example, the study used Norwegian social workers that were

frequently encountered by clients who spoke Urdu, Polish, Arabic, Hindi, or Kiswahili. The least
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common language was English or Scandinavian which was unknown to a number of the clients.

Notably, lack of a common language acts as a great barrier in a multi-cultural society as there is

no complete communication sequence of sending and receiving a message. For effective

communication to prevail, the receiver has to be able to comprehend the language of the sender

to respond which is not usually the case in a multi-cultural society. Unquestionably, the lack of a

common language due to the difference in cultures highly challenges the social workers.

Communication Problems caused by different Codes of Behavior

People are different and thus all express their feelings in distinct ways. However,

different cultures also have a commonality in how they express the way they feel and how they

react to certain situations. For example, Bo (2014), noted that a client despite being of

Norwegian ethnicity or foreign may find it extremely difficult to express and interpret

bureaucratic formations or the rules and regulations put in place. It owes to the distinct ways

people behave towards the environment they are in. Due to differences in behavior alongside

lack of a common language, it makes the situation worse for both the client and the social

worker. Subsequently, the social worker is unable to understand what the client's needs could be

and the client fails to comprehend what the social worker requires of them. Conclusively, the

differences in the codes of behavior lead to difficulties in communication between the client and

the social workers as a result of cultural differences.

Family Relations and Cultural Differences

In a multi-cultural setting, different cultures have very distinct ways they raise their

children and also operate their family systems. For example in the study by Bo (2014), it is noted

that social workers may have a different mind-set on how to treat a child, and the parents may

have a different perspective too based on their different culture and how they were raised.
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Certainly, a social worker that talks to the parents on the appropriateness/inappropriateness of

how to raise children, the parents may feel undermined. Notably, the parents feel undermined

since they feel they are the ones with all the rights over their children. Owing to those facts, a

multi-cultural setting leads to many conflicts in regards to family relations in the line of child-

rearing and parent-child relations. Conclusively, the differences in cultures in a family setting

cause a great challenge to the social worker since different cultures act differently.

Lack of knowledge on the Client’s Background

The multi-cultural society is endowed with numerous individuals who speak distinct

languages, of different races, ethnicity, and also of various sexual orientations. Notably, the

social worker ought to have some knowledge of the client's background before having any

session with them. It attributes to the fact that various people go through different factors that

land them in the present situations Bo (2014). Certainly, with some knowledge of the client's

background, the social worker may know how to deal with the issue. However, it is not the case

and thus the social worker is caught in a dilemma of where to start from and thus devising all

means to help the client. Unquestionably, the social workers are faced with complexities of how

to deal with the situation presented by the client due to a lack of knowledge of their background.

Differences in Values and Beliefs

As noted earlier, multi-cultural society is comprised of individuals of various cultures.

Certainly, the cultures for example in form of ethnic groups have different beliefs as well as

values as compared to their counterparts (Fong, 2020). For that reason, a social worker faced by

a client of different culture thus may face a challenge in working according to their values. For

instance, the client may be American yet the social worker is African. Without a doubt, the

values and beliefs of Americans is very much different from the Africans. Moreover, the social
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worker may utter out all the wrong things following the client's culture which leads to conflicts.

Subsequently, cultural differences rile up unhealthy relationships between the social worker and

their client due to failure to comprehend each other. Despite the failure to comprehend one

another, lack of knowledge of the client's culture makes the situation worse. Conclusively, the

differences in values and beliefs are a great challenge faced by social workers as they carry out

their work.

Differences in Age Groups

Age difference is a great issue in a multi-cultural society, however being in the same age

group helps individuals be at par in a very short while. For instance, a social worker that is

discussing a matter with a client that is in their age range makes it easier to share and

comprehend the situation. On the other hand, it takes more effort to make a child client

understand the situation at hand (Fong, 2020). For that matter, it may demand of the social

worker to have knowledge on how to deal with different age groups. However, some social

workers specifically solve adult issues which make it difficult to solve to that involve children.

Additionally, the child or even a very old person may not comprehend the complex language that

may be used. Despite the utilization of body language sometimes, the child or the very old client

may have no clue on how to interpret the body language sent out the social worker. Certainly,

age differences acts as a great challenge that creates a situation of ineffective communication.

Socio-Economic Class Back Ground

In a modern world, the best services are not for free and hence need to be paid for to be

rendered. Owing to that fact, clients that economically disadvantaged are unable to access the

services of the social worker especially in a private setting. Certainly, the social worker is as well

as unable to help the disadvantaged individual to access their service due to the rules and
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regulations (Keskin, 2018). Furthermore, Socio-economic class background can also be inform

individuals having little or no education. Without a doubt, working with individuals that cannot

read or write makes it difficult to communicate especially when the client and social worker is of

different language. Certainly, dealing with an uneducated individuals is challenging they cannot

comprehend all the procedures of the sessions as appropriately as a person that has studied.

Ultimately, having less knowledge of the socio-economic background of the client by the socio-

worker makes it difficult for him or her to relate.

Conflicting Sexual Identity

Conflicting sexual identity is a wide issue as the society of today is filled with various

sexual orientations. For example, the society is comprised of heterosexual individuals, gays,

bisexual, lesbians to mention but a few. Owing to that fact, a client may face the social worker in

their exact sexual identity despite the social worker being of another sexual orientation. Due to

the differences in sex between the client and social worker, the client may feel shy to open up his

or her mind to the topic at hand (Keskin, 2018). Furthermore, the social worker may have bias

towards sex orientations that he or she does not belong to or considers inhuman. The bias that

develops between the social work and their client which limits their interaction. Furthermore, the

client may also quit the sessions and thus leading to unsuccessful recovery. Inarguably,

differences in sexual identity prove a challenge to the social worker while working on his or her

clients.

Cultural Sensitivity

In a multi-cultural society, there are various cultures that give off differentiated reactions

in any set out occasion. Certainly, each culture has its own rules and regulations of how to run

their systems minus any question from individual of different culture. Cultural sensitivity is
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concerned with the differences in norms, values, beliefs which cause difficulty in dealing with

some client (Freund and Band-Winterstein, 2016). For instance, some cultures may consider

some discussions as private to their culture and not any other. Furthermore, the social worker’s

approach of the matter may be a whole different format to fulfil the needs of the client as

appropriately as possible. Cultural sensitivity breeds of a situation of distance between the client

and the social workers due to acting differently from what each of them may have planned in the

first place. Cultural sensitivity also requires the social worker to have prior knowledge of their

client of which this happens on rare occasions. Ultimately, cultural sensitivity is a very crucial

challenge to the social worker in a multi-cultural society.

Trust Challenges to the Social Worker

Due to availability of various cultures, individuals are less trustworthy of others.

Certainly, the clients feel uneasy to confide in someone of a different culture. For example a

Chinese person opening up to an American social worker takes some good effort especially from

the social worker. Despite trust being an element that has to be built between the social worker

and their client, a number of doubtable situations occur before anything is achieved. Moreover,

trust issues can also be sparked off as a result of the client mind-set of whether they will be

understood or not (Freund and Band-Winterstein, 2016). Certainly, it takes a longer period for a

client of a different culture to trust their allocated social worker. It owes to the fact that they

have a number of differences between them and thus the client becomes less trusting.

Conclusively, building trust between the client and the social worker is a great challenge while

carrying out their work in a multi-cultural society.

Differences in Ability
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Ability is one of the cultures in a multi-cultural society and the variations in ability

among the individuals also are a challenge to the social worker. For example a client who is

questioned of what he/she is able to do and unable to do gets intimidating to them sometimes.

Certainly, the client may wonder why the social worker is questioning their inabilities at the

moment rather than simply working to improve what they can do (Suhaili et al., 2020). Due to

the feeling of intimidation or the lack of acceptance of what one cannot do, it leads to issues

rising between the social worker and their client. Recognizing the client’s abilities is very crucial

in the duties of a social work as it enables them get to know their client and well. Besides that,

ability may also be the issue of the client’s current situation which thus calls for the social

worker’s effort to find out. Due to the differences in ability among different individuals, the

social worker finds it a challenge at certain occasions.

Gender Differences

Gender is also a diverse and sensitive issue in the modern age. Due to gender differences

that are prevalent in society today of male and female or any other, the social worker is faced

with a great challenge (Suhaili et al., 2020). For example a male client allocated to a female

social worker may at times feel less understood. In certain occasions, the male individual may

want to share their story with a fellow man in order to feel more understood. The male client may

certainly have the mind-set of whether a female social worker will understand their issue as a

man or judge them. As a result, it gets hard to open up and thus gender differences become the

barrier between the social worker and their client. Owing to those facts, the social worker finds a

challenge as a result of gender type differences.

Inadequate Resources
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The challenge of inadequacy in resources is common in refugee situations of social work

practice. For example, a study by Theobald et al. (2020) showed that individuals faced a problem

of mainly demand exceeding supply. Certainly, due to inadequacy of resources at the refuge sites,

the social workers are caught in a situation of how to best serve the clients. For instance in the

Victoria refuge system, social workers had to deal with issues due to inadequacy in beds, food,

affordable housing. Due to lack of enough space to accommodate the women refugees, some of

the women refugees had to be sent to motels as reported by Safe steps (2017). With no doubt,

having the traumatized women and their children to stay in motels makes them more prone to

emotional breakdown and limited support. The step taken in those situations has consequences to

do with high safety risks, relocating the women, and disrupting their activities. Having the refuge

clients makes it harder for the social workers to avail the utmost service to help them overcome

any challenges faced on a daily.

Strategies to solve the challenges faced by the Social Worker in a Multi-cultural Society

Embracing Multi-cultural Education

Multi-cultural education begins from school as the social worker gets to be taught the

existence of various cultures in society. Through multi-cultural education, the social worker’s

mind gets to be opened in order to accept the cultural differences and the diversity in the clients

they are to meet in different societies (Padilla et al., 2019). The cultural differences range from

various cultures for example language, age, sexual orientation, religion, and the features of the

culture. It certainly entails the social worker being guided and led to tackle the situations with a

free mind full of love, tolerance alongside respect for one another. Creation of such an

atmosphere brings the gap between the social worker and the client as regards to any cultural

differences. It owes to the fact that the social worker is prepared beforehand for anything. Multi-
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cultural education gives a social worker a stepping stone rather than acting with astonishment

around a client. Conclusively, multi-cultural education is a great strategy to help the social

worker in working in a multi-cultural society.

Creating a Friendly Atmosphere

Creation of a friendly environment starts with the way the client is welcomed by the

social worker. Creating a friendly environment also involves the identification of the client’s

strengths as well as looking at the client’s situation with disregard of the stereotypical beliefs

(Padilla et al., 2019). The stereotypical beliefs bring about bias between the client and their

social worker especially when the social worker considers them at hand. For example if a client

is female and then a social worker is a male individual, it is not right to make the female client

handle the way society perceives the female specie. In order for the female client to open up to

the social worker, the latter certainly has to understand the former in a non-stereotypical manner.

In doing so, the client feels the mutual understating between her and the social worker which

makes work easier. Conclusively, creation of a friendly environment makes the work of the

social worker easier to perform.

Communication Diversity

Due to the diversity in languages, it is crucial that the social worker considers hiring an

interpreter who is either a trusted close relative of the client or a fellow social worker. It certainly

requires the social worker to understand the society they are working in and the types of

languages that are commonly spoken (Keskin, 2018). Besides that, the social worker may also

inquire from the client what kind of language they are more comfortable with in order to create

an environment that is filled with limited misunderstandings. The interpreter hired can help

bridge the language gap between the social worker and their client that may exist. The language
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barrier may be in form of lack of a common language or difference in the code of behavior.

Furthermore, language barrier can also be tackled through use of different body language to send

out a message to the client. On the other hand, the social worker can also interpret the client’s

body language to understand what they are communicating. Ultimately, hiring an interpreter

enables the social work to reduce the issue of language barrier and thus diversifying in

communication tactics.

Self-Reflection

Self-reflection is a broad term in enabling the social worker overcomes various

challenges in their work within the multi-cultural society. Self-reflection enables the social

worker to make discovery of their strengths and weaknesses in regards to various cultures.

Through identification of the strengths, the social worker works to towards upholding them and

also improving on their weaknesses (Freund and Band-Winterstein, 2016). It helps the social

worker to avoid situations of bias towards the cultural differences that exist by not letting their

personal character get the better of them. Furthermore, self-reflection also acts as a self-check of

how best the social worker approached the situations for the day and how they can improve in

their work. Certainly, each social worker needs to understand and adopt the technique of self-

reflection as it is crucial in overcoming the personal challenges that may act as barriers in their

work. Self-reflection is certainly a very crucial factor in social work.

Cultural Sensitivity and Ideological Awareness

Cultural sensitivity and ideological awareness entails comprehending the difference in

societies and accepting that various people exist. Being ware and sensitive of the existent

cultures, it enables the social worker to comprehend how various cultures think and thus able to

interpret their behavior beforehand (Freund and Band-Winterstein, 2016). Through cultural
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sensitivity and awareness, the social worker is less susceptible to being biased towards the

culture of the client. Additionally, the social worker reduces cases of being intimidated by the

client’s culture as they have prior knowledge of behavior and how to treat them. Conclusively,

cultural sensitivity as well as ideological awareness acts as a great strategy for the social workers

that are carrying out duties in a multi-cultural society.

Conclusion

Multi-cultural psychology entails a number of aspects on individuals’ cultures that are

existent. Nevertheless, a professional social worker has to study and comprehend the different

aspects that are existent in regards to those cultures. It owes to the fact that, the social worker

needs to reduce the chances of encountering the various challenges as observed in the study.

Challenges that arise due to existence of various cultures are also diverse in nature as they come

along with the culture. Certainly, social workers have to be trained appropriately as a means of

preparation for what is ahead of them. It is crucial that the social worker gets to comprehend and

also accept the cultural differences that are in place and thus concur his or her bias and personal

weaknesses. Through devising extensive and workable strategies, the social worker can easily

execute their duties with much ease. In conclusion multi-cultural settings bring about various

challenges to the social worker although these can be solved in various ways too as seen above.
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Freund, A., & Band-Winterstein, T., 2016. Social workers in multi-cultural societies: Using a

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Keskin, S. C., 2018. Problems and their solutions in a multicultural environment according to

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