Multicultural disability competence.

In the United States, there are approximately 51 million people who have one or more identified disabilities (Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, 2010). Additionally, as the United States population grows older, advances in healthcare are helping individuals who sustain traumatic injuries to survive the injury. These factors, and a general population growth due to increased birth and immigration rates, could result in individuals with disabilities becoming the largest growing minority group in the country (Annual Disability Statistics Compendium). MDC as a category of diversity can be expected to present more frequently in psychotherapy, and all practicing psychologists should possess the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to work effectively with these clients. Topics such as disability-related social implications, disability adjustment, and disability acceptance are therapeutic conversation hallmarks that a psychologist should broach in the appropriate manner and format. Clients with disabilities (CWDs), like everyone, are interested in life achievements such as work, love, and recreational play, and it may be challenging to obtain because of stigma, discrimination, and inaccessibility of facilities constructed in an abled-bodied world. The challenges presented by disability can also negatively affect the overall psychological and emotional well-being of CWDs and such possible impact should be explored in psychotherapy. Thus, in order to work effectively with any client, especially with a CWD, the psychologist must be aware of his or her views or preconceived notions regarding the impact of disability on life goals and therefore making it necessary for the CWDs to select the psychologist who comprise the knowledge regarding disability related topics and attitudes.