Uncovering Patterns in Perceived Therapist Behaviour: A Latent Profile Analysis of Broaching Experiences Among Ethnic Minority Group Member Clients

Objective

Recent research shows that for clients who identify as ethnic minority group members, therapists' effort to include ethnic-cultural topics in therapy conversations—that is, broaching—is important for clients' evaluations of therapy and symptom improvement. However, little is known about how this is experienced by clients and how different patterns of broaching behaviours are related to the therapeutic process. This study aimed to identify meaningful combinations of therapist broaching behaviours in a sample of clients that identify as ethnic minority group members in outpatient psychotherapy (N = 452; 64.6% women, 33.6% men, 1.3% nonbinary; 0.4% preferred not to say; M_age = 33.8).

Methods

In the present research, we employed latent profile analysis to discern therapist profiles based on the similarity of their reported broaching behaviours. Group differences were analysed with Welch's analysis of variance.

Results

Five profiles were delineated, each revealing specific broaching patterns. The obtained profiles were named Pending, Neutral, Inappropriate, Uninvolved and Engaged. Reported cultural identity concealment was lower and client-estimated improvement higher in the Pending and Engaged profiles compared to the Inappropriate profile. Both the Neutral and Uninvolved profiles yielded scores in between.

Conclusions

Pending and Engaged profiles are equally beneficial and the Inappropriate profile is the most harmful in terms of reported cultural concealment and client-estimated improvement. Implications of findings for practice, training and research are discussed.