Belonging nowhere and everywhere: multiracial identity development.

Abstract

Few therapists are trained to work with multiracial individuals. Most have little knowledge of the process of identity development in this ever-increasing population. In this article, an examination of how the social construction of race impacts identity development is followed by a review of current theories regarding multiracial identity development. Interviews of clinicians illustrate how therapists understand their work with multiracial clients as well as the issues they have personally confronted. The challenges faced by therapists working with this population center on understanding how oppression affects identity development, supporting racial ambiguity as a part of normal identity development, working from a nonoppressive theoretical perspective, and examining their own internalized rules about racial and ethnic stereotypes. This preliminary examination indicates the need for further research. A controlled study in this area would be of benefit to the field.