The Experience of Trainee Clinical Psychologists from Chinese Cultural Backgrounds - a Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how trainee clinical psychologists from Chinese cultural backgrounds make sense of their Doctorate Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) training. By attending to this under-explored topic, this research hopes to elucidate the influence of potential taken-for-granted training structures and possible power dynamic on Chinese trainees within a profession lacking cultural diversity. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with Chinese trainee clinical psychologists. Embracing a social constructionist epistemological paradigm, the collected data were analysed using a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) (Foucault, 1984), guided by Willig’s framework of FDA (Willig, 2008). The findings revealed five major discursive constructions. These include: “competency in expressing oneself”, “challenges in maintaining social connection”, “problems arising from being the cultural other”, “issues with being given a ‘BAME’ label” and “the symbolic capital”. This research explored the shape these discursive constructions take; and offered initiatives that could be needed to raise cultural humility and sensitivity towards Chinese culture within the clinical psychology profession.