An Exploration of the Experiences of Culturally and/or Linguistically Diverse Trainee Psychologists in Australian Postgraduate Programs

Abstract

Objective: The study explored the experiences of trainee psychologists from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse (CALD) background in Australia. Although previous studies have documented the experiences of CALD trainees in the USA and UK, few studies have explored this issue in Australia. Findings from other countries may aid understanding, but could not be assumed to apply in Australia. The current study aimed to address this gap and explore what facilitated or hindered CALD trainee psychologists’ progress during their training and to provide recommendations.

Method: Fourteen CALD trainee psychologists, undertaking Clinical or Education and Developmental postgraduate training from four universities in southeast Queensland, attended an individual, semi‐structured interview. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the emerging themes across interviews.

Results: Nine themes were generated, including cultural challenges, lack of acknowledgment and support from the training staff, effective supervision, strengths of a CALD trainee psychologist, language and communication challenges, limited training/understanding of issues about CALD clients, uniform approach of training, peer interactions: pleasant or unpleasant, and coping strategies.

Conclusions: Findings provided not only an account of challenges CALD trainees encountered but also their strengths. CALD trainee psychologists faced extra difficulties and there is a need for increased awareness among trainers. Recommendations for trainers to increase facilitation and reduce hindrance to CALD trainees’ training were provided.