Cultural Variations in Parenting and Implications for the Counseling Professional

In a culturally diverse society, counselors are faced with providing effective treatment that is culturally responsive and meets the needs of the client. Counselors have an ethical obligation to understand and include the client’s culture in treatment decision-making. Parenting norms in the United States are based upon the Western culture and do not apply to all cultural groups. This paper looks specifically at cultural differences in parenting practices among four cultural groups: African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and European Americans. Implications for practice are provided for the counseling professional