Social justice advocacy: the role of race and gender prejudice, injustice, and diversity experiences

ABSTRACT

Applying the Resource Model of Political Participation, this study extended the emerging research on trainees’ social justice advocacy (SJA) by examining race and gender variables among 281 counselors-in-training. Although no racial and gender differences were found regarding trainees’ SJA, we found significant race and gender differences in trainees’ awareness of modern racism and sexism. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that exposure to racist and sexist events and participation in formal diversity experiences had significant links to SJA. Specifically, exposure to racist events and participation in formal and informal diversity experiences were negatively associated with color-blind racial attitudes. Exposure to sexist events was negatively linked to modern sexist beliefs. Implications for theory, training, and research are addressed.

KEYWORDS:

• Social Justice Advocacy
• Color Blind Racial Attitude
• Modern Sexism
• Discrimination
• Diversity Experience

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Linh P. Luu

Linh P. Luu, PhD, is the Associate Director/ Training Director at the University of Memphis Student Health and Counseling Services, Memphis, TN, USA. Her scholarly interests include social justice advocacy and multicultural competency in training and clinical supervision, racial and gender issues, and issues related to Asian American mental health. She has published various journal articles and book chapters and presented at international and national conferences. She has been recognized by the American Psychological Association – Society of Counseling Psychology and Society for the Psychology of Women for her scholarship and services.

Arpana G. Inman, PhD, is the Associate Dean, Office of Academic Affairs, College of Education and Human Ecology at the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. She is a supervisor trainer and scholar with research interests in multicultural competencies/social justice in supervision/training, international and immigrant psychology. She has presented at various conferences and conducts clinical supervision workshops nationally and internationally. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Asian American Psychological Association, a Fulbright Scholar, and a recipient of the Excellence in Supervision Research Award from the Society of Counseling Psychology, Section on Supervision and Training.