Are Clinical Psychologists Prepared for Service and Research With Ethnic Minorities? Report of a Decade of Progress

Longitudinal data on the status of training of clinical psychologists for service and research with ethnic minority populations were presented in order to assess progress. Data from an earlier survey by Bernal and Padilla (1982), which were collected in 1979-1980, were compared with similar survey data collected in 1990-1991. Results revealed a mixed picture of progress: Key aspects of minority training have improved, and there is a substantial block of programs committed to minority training. However, two changes are needed: engagement in a change process leading to training for cultural competence rather than minimal exposure to culture, and a significant increase in the numbers of minority faculty, which can occur only by a sharp increase in the numbers of minority students admitted into the educational pipeline.