Interviewing Clients across Cultures: A Practitioner's Guide (Hardcover)

~ Lisa Aronson Fontes PhD (Author)
Key Phrases: addressing reluctance, interpreted interview, untrained interpreter, United States, New York, Native American (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is a 'must read' for anyone training to be, or already serving, in a professional role in today's multicultural society. It is important, accessible, and filled with lively case examples. I recommend this book as required reading for graduate and undergraduate courses and for professionals who work with clients or carry out research in any mental health or human service setting."--Sandra A. Graham-Bermann, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan

"This work is an essential addition to the library of professionals who conduct nearly any kind of interview. Its careful strategies for respecting and negotiating so many different aspects of cross-cultural interactions are invaluable. Fontes's reputation in the field is top-notch, and with this book she provides the best, most current interviewing guide I have seen."--Sharon W. Cooper, MD, FAAP, Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine

"Interviewing is often taken for granted in professional training programs, and as a result many of us are not exposed to ways of negotiating cultural differences which can make the difference between success and failure in this important relationship-building activity. No matter what your professional training and background, you will benefit enormously from the rich material and interesting examples in this book. I highly recommend it as a course text for teaching students to conduct a sensitive, effective, and culturally informed interview with clients from all walks of life who are seeking our help."--David A. Wolfe, PhD, RBC Chair in Children's Mental Health, and Director, Centre for Prevention Science at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto

"Today, helping professionals must think globally; we need tools to interview and assess racially, ethnically, culturally, and economically diverse clients. Fontes’s book is timely and informative. Drawing on the research and practice literature, her personal experience, and that of other professionals who provide culturally sensitive services, she offers much-needed, practical advice about how to avoid pitfalls and conduct successful interviews that span the cultural divide between professional and client."--Kathleen Coulborn Faller, PhD, ACSW, Marion Elizabeth Blue Professor of Children and Families; Director, Family Assessment Clinic, School of Social Work, University of Michigan

"This extremely helpful and instructive book has amazing breadth and depth in analyzing the interview process from beginning to end. Fontes provides guidance on all aspects of preparing for, conducting, and documenting interviews, interweaving cultural issues throughout. She shows tremendous sensitivity and good sense in helping readers handle cultural differences and dilemmas. Highly readable, the book is suitable for everyone from students to practicing professionals."--Stanley Sue, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Asian American Studies, University of California, Davis

"An excellent contribution to the applied literature and relevant to a broad audience, this volume deserves a place on the bookshelf next to Paul Pedersen, Hugh Crethar, and Jon Carlson's Inclusive Cultural Empathy....Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals."--Choice Reviews

"Deftly blends general principles, clinical anecdotes, and information about specific cultures. It strikes the right balance between practitioners' desire to know specific facts about the culture in which they most frequently interact and the need to provide general principles that will help practitioners to become aware of their own cultural biases and to work with clients from any culture....Throughout her book, Fontes maintains a broad focus and includes material of relevance to varied disciplines....Even more impressive is Fontes' ability to discuss sensitive matters of race, ethnicity, class, and language in an honest, informative manner. The reader feels welcomed, whatever his or her degree of comfort and knowledge, and is gently yet firmly taught how to work more effectively with clients from different backgrounds. Readers with little experience interviewing clients from other cultures will be given a framework in which to get started: knowledge about degrees of acculturation, things to think about when preparing for an interview, and how to build rapport....Each chapter includes questions for further thought and discussion, which could be used in teaching and supervision. I recommend this book highly to practitioners of any discipline."--Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic

Product Description

Packed with practical pointers and examples, this indispensable, straight-talking guide helps professionals conduct productive interviews while building strong working relationships with culturally and linguistically diverse clients. Chapters cover verbal and nonverbal ways to build rapport and convey respect; how to overcome language barriers, including effective use of interpreters; culturally competent interviews with children and adolescents; and key issues in working with immigrants and refugees. Strategies for avoiding common cross-cultural misunderstandings and producing fair, accurate reports are presented. Every chapter concludes with thought-provoking discussion questions and resources for further reading.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 334 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press; 1 edition (May 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593857101
• ISBN-13: 978-1593857103
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #516,181 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anne Fierro Vanderlaan, July 28, 2008

By	G. Anne Vanderlaan "Anne Fierro Vanderlaan" (Meridian, Idaho) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a must with anyone who works with people of various cultures. I would also suggest this to be a handbook for Police Departments, Social workers, Health care professionals, mental health professionals and educational facilities etc. This book needs to be in anyones library who is concerned about culture, ethics and diversity issues.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Opener, July 22, 2008

By	Linda Baker (Keene, NH) - See all my reviews

An Eye Opener

This is an excellent book for anyone who conducts cross cultural interviews. It is beautifully written and laid out so that content can be found easily. The information and case studies will certainly increase one's attunement to cultural variations that take many forms, and facilitate the capacity to respond productively to numerous situations that might not be anticipated otherwise. Students who are practicing interviewing in class or in the field will find this book essential reading. I now know how ignorant I was before I read it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical book for people who have cross-cultural conversations, June 14, 2009

By	Book lover (New England) - See all my reviews

Both in my work and in my everyday life--I find myself having more and more conversations with people from a variety of cultural groups. This book offers extremely practical advice for people in medical, social work, mental health, the law--and even everyday life who want to be able to reach across cultures and converse respectfully and effectively with diverse people. It has examples of what to do to achieve true cultural competence and openness. I find it is far more effective than some other books that speak about five enormous ethnic groups as if everyone within them was the same. In this book, instead, there's information on working with Somalis, Guatemalans, Haitians, etc.

This is the best cultural competence book I've seen. It also provides a lot of general information on interviewing and I think it could be the central text in a course on interviewing.