The effects of an experiential cultural sensitivity seminar on comfort levels and knowledge base of marriage and family therapy students working with American Muslim clients

Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) have frequently acknowledged the lack of diversity training, especially when it comes to American Muslims. In this context, this study asked two research questions with respect to this population. Can attending a newly developed experiential cultural sensitivity training workshop significantly increase Marital and Family Therapy (MFT) students' and practitioners knowledge of the Islamic faith? Can attending a newly developed experiential cultural sensitivity training workshop significantly increase Marital and Family Therapy (MFT) students' and practitioners reported comfort level in working with American Muslim couples, families and individuals?;A new three-hour experiential cultural sensitivity workshop was developed for this study. The workshop was taught across four different graduate school campuses as well as at a monthly therapists networking meeting to a sample of 150 MFT students and therapists. Prior to participation in the workshop participants completed an instrument that assessed their comfort level and an instrument that assessed their knowledge of the Islamic faith. Subsequently, the participants attended the experiential workshop training and then they recompleted the same instruments. A total sample of 150 MFT students and practitioners completed the workshop and both the pre and post workshop instruments.;The Knowledge of the Islamic faith Instrument had a Coefficient Alpha internal consistency reliability of .86. A repeated-measure t-test showed that post-workshop knowledge of the Islamic faith was significantly higher that pre-workshop knowledge (t = 8.8, df = 149, p < .001). Factor analysis showed that the Comfort Level Instrument measured a single factor of Comfort in Working with Muslim Clients. The instrument had the very high coefficient alpha of .96. A repeated-measure t-test showed that post-workshop comfort levels were significantly higher than pre-workshop comfort level (t = 6.57, df = 149, p < .001).;The data strongly supports the premise that participation in the new three-hour workshop can and does increase MFT students' and practitioners knowledge of the Islamic faith and their reported comfort level in working with Muslim clients. These results were interpreted as strongly supporting the need for cultural sensitivity training to assist Marital and Family Therapy students and therapists in providing effective services for American Muslim couples, families and individuals. Implications of these findings for MFT Training, MFT Clinical Practice and MFT Research were also discussed.