Promoting Cultural Competence: Utilizing Spiritual Genograms with Native American Families and Children

Purpose:

Over the past decade there has been increasing interest in including spiritual assessments in social work settings with families and children. Yet, no formally accepted or well-recognized guidelines for such assessments have been established. Recently, a shift has occurred where practitioners have been asked to focus more on a strength-based, holistic, systems perspective that promotes the inclusion of spirituality into their work with families and children. This study represents an initial step at giving social workers an important assessment tool as they seek to provide culturally and spiritually competent services to Native American families and children.

Method:

In order to determine the relevancy and consistency of utilizing a modified spiritual genogram assessment tool with Native Americans, a mixed method on-line survey research design was utilized to gather information from a number of Native American experts. Sixty-seven Native American experts were identified and asked to participate and 50 completed the online survey instrument (resulting in a 74.6% response rate). These experts reviewed, rated, and gave feedback on the modified tool's use with Native American families and children. The Native American experts came from a wide range of tribes, geographic regions, and spiritual backgrounds. Tests of association were conducted between the variables and demographic items. Both parametric and nonparametric tests were conducted in applicable situations. For the qualitative items, a constant comparative methodology was used in which the data were examined for similarities, patterns, and common themes.

Results:

Results indicates that many of our experts reported that if done properly, spiritual genograms were generally consistent with Native American culture and could be very beneficial in working with Native Americans. Results revealed that the language used in the sample questions could be problematic for some Native American families and children. Results also noted that some of the sample questions used in both the historical and present spiritual functioning could be improved and made clearer. As a result a new list of sample questions was given to construct a spiritual genogram with the Native American families and children. Here, sample questions were drawn from Native American experts' responses to the survey and grouped thematically according to content.

Conclusions and Implications:

For more than a decade, the field of social work has reflected a demand for more culturally competent services. Given the importance of spirituality for many Native Americans, spiritual genograms offer practitioners a number of ways to integrate spirituality into the therapeutic dialogue with Native American families and children. Further, the qualitative aspect of spiritual genograms allows practitioners to adapt this tool to a wide variety of client situations. This study advances the knowledge base in the area of spiritual assessment by examining the cultural consistency, strengths, and limitation of using spiritual genograms with Native American clients. While further research is needed, findings of this study represent an initial step at giving practitioners an important assessment tool as they seek to provide culturally competent services to Native American families and children.