Factors associated with choosing a career in clinical psychology: undergraduate minority ethnic perspectives

Article


Meredith, Emmeline and Baker, M. 2007. Factors associated with choosing a career in clinical psychology: undergraduate minority ethnic perspectives. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. 14 (6), pp. 475-487.
AuthorsMeredith, Emmeline and Baker, M.
Abstract

Concerns have been expressed by clinical psychologists about the preponderance of white members of the profession. While studies of minority ethnic recruitment into health professions and entry into higher education have been conducted at undergraduate level, the extent to which their results can be mapped on to issues of minority ethnic choosing of postgraduate training in clinical psychology is unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the attraction or otherwise of professional clinical psychology to potential minority ethnic applicants. Q methodology was used to identify patterns of incentives and disincentives within a series of statements about the profession and its academic subject matter. Thirty-seven UK minority ethnic undergraduate psychology students completed Q-sort ratings. Along with narrative descriptions of seven factors derived from analysis of the data, we present three overall categories. Q-sort data are by design defined by positive and negative aspects, and our interpretations indicate a mixture of overall attraction in all three categories. These patterns of thinking extend what was known from previous research, and explicate something of the complexity of participants' views of clinical psychology. Within the constraints of the study's limitations, we view them as a small contribution towards an empirically based understanding of factors influential in the recruitment of an ethnically more representative workforce.

Keywordsethnic minorities; clinical psychology
JournalClinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
Journal citation14 (6), pp. 475-487
ISSN1063-3995
Year2007
Accepted author manuscript
License
CC BY-ND
Web address (URL)http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cpp.547
http://hdl.handle.net/10552/430
Publication dates
PrintDec 2007
Publication process dates
Deposited08 Dec 2009
Additional information

Citation:
Meredith, E; Baker, M. (2007) ‘Factors associated with choosing a career in clinical psychology - undergraduate minority ethnic perspectives’ Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 14 (6) 475 - 487.

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