Multicultural Orientation and Deliberate Practice Coaching: An Empirically Supported Case Study

Emma Freetly Porter; Jesse Owen; Tony Rousmaniere; D. Martin Kivlighan; Rayna C. Narvaez; Sara Heshmati

doi:10.1002/capr.70047

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Multicultural Orientation and Deliberate Practice Coaching: An Empirically Supported Case Study

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Multicultural Orientation and Deliberate Practice Coaching: An Empirically Supported Case Study

Emma Freetly Porter, Jesse Owen, Tony Rousmaniere, D. Martin Kivlighan, Rayna C. Narvaez and Sara Heshmati

Counselling and psychotherapy research, Vol.25(4), e70047

12/2025

DOI: 10.1002/capr.70047

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Abstract

Background Therapists may benefit from continued training to enhance their multicultural skills when working with clients from diverse backgrounds and identities. Although the Multicultural Orientation (MCO) framework emphasises attention to in-session cultural processes and the therapeutic alliance, few studies have examined specific training methodologies that effectively foster these skills. This pilot study tested a deliberate practice–based model to enhance the MCO competencies of therapists-in-training. Method Two therapists-in-training were recruited to participate in the study. Prior to receiving any MCO coaching or deliberate practice, they responded to a series of video vignettes portraying counselling scenarios that involved cultural issues. The participants then received four deliberate practice coaching sessions over the course of eight weeks that targeted their MCO skills. They were then asked to respond to a different series of culturally focused video vignettes after completing the MCO coaching. Both participants' pre-training and post-training scores were blindly coded by a team of coders and estimates of cultural comfort, cultural humility and cultural opportunities were calculated and compared at the two different time points. Participants also completed semi-structured interviews to assess their perceptions of the training experience. Results Results illustrated that both participants demonstrated improvements across all domains of MCO. Interviews with participants also showed that they found the MCO coaching to be helpful and individualised to their training needs. Conclusions Findings provide preliminary evidence that deliberate practice supervision may support the development of MCO-related skills. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

case study

deliberate practice

multicultural orientation

psychotherapy training

Details

Title: Subtitle: Multicultural Orientation and Deliberate Practice Coaching: An Empirically Supported Case Study
Creators: Emma Freetly Porter - Adelphi University
Jesse Owen - University of Denver
Tony Rousmaniere - Sentio University Los Angeles CA USA
D. Martin Kivlighan - University of Iowa
Rayna C. Narvaez - University of Iowa
Sara Heshmati - Florida International University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Counselling and psychotherapy research, Vol.25(4), e70047
DOI: 10.1002/capr.70047
ISSN: 1473-3145
eISSN: 1746-1405
Publisher: Wiley
Grant note: Georgia State University via the John Templeton Foundation: 62265
This project was funded in part by Georgia State University via the John Templeton Foundation (Grant Number #62265).
Language: English
Date published: 12/2025
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
Record Identifier: 9985019147402771

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