On Enhancing Competent Work with African American Clients: Challenging Persistent Racial Disparity Trends by Examining the Role of the Working Alliance

Abstract

Trends of racial disparities continue to persist across a variety of rehabilitation domains (e.g., acceptance rates, types of services offered, rehabilitation outcomes). African Americans consistently have poorer rehabilitation outcomes when compared to their White counterparts. Scholars have identified issues of racial bias in clinical judgment within cross-racial client-counselor relationships as a likely central factor contributing to this trend. The strength of the working alliance between counselor and client has been shown to be predictive of positive client outcomes. Factors within the helping relationship, such as color-blind attitudes and racial microaggressions, which have been shown to erode the alliance with African American clients, are discussed, as well as the use of broaching strategies to directly address the issue of race with clients as a means of strengthening the working alliance.