| The present study examined the lived experiences of eleven professors teaching multicultural courses within APA and APPIC accredited counseling psychology programs regarding the state of including religious and spiritual diversity. Data were extracted from individual interviews, copies of course syllabi, and participant follow-up contacts. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. A total of eleven faculty were interviewed. Teaching careers ranged from 3 years to 30 years (M = 15 years, SD = 7.78), with multicultural specific teaching experience ranging from 2 years to 28 years (M = 9 years, SD = 8.4). Race and ethnicity represented included Black and African American (4), Latina/o (1), American Indian (1), Biethnic (1), European American (3), and American of Mexican descent (1).;Participants in the current study reported that religious and spiritual diversity was included within the course. This conflicts somewhat with current published literature. A Model of Instructors' Incorporation of Religion and Spirituality in Multicultural Course was developed with four main categories regarding the inclusion of religion and spirituality in multicultural courses; facilitative factors, affective experiences, teaching content and process, and barriers. Evidence of five contributory categories was also discovered: values conflict, student impact, training and supervision, definitions and beliefs, and the relationship between psychology and religion and spirituality. Implications for further research and pedagogy are addressed, with broader implications for counseling psychology teaching in general arising upon review of the study results. |
