Examining the relationship between mindfulness and multicultural counseling competencies in counselor trainees

This exploratory study examined the relationship between mindfulness and multicultural counseling competencies (MCC) in counselor trainees. One hundred fifty-seven masters and doctoral students in counseling and therapy-related fields completed a survey containing the Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI), Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II). Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated between scales and subscales of the MCC, mindfulness, and acceptance. A hierarchical regression was used to examine the association of mindfulness and mindfulness practices (the total length of mindfulness practice and the duration of weekly mindfulness practice) on MCC along with multicultural training (number of multicultural counseling courses and practica completed) and demographic factors. The results of the study showed that mindfulness and MCC were positively and strongly correlated (r = .48, p < .01). Moreover, all mindfulness facets were positively and significantly correlated with MCC and majority of its subscales. The results suggested that individuals who believed themselves to be more mindful in their daily lives (especially those who reported observing and describing their experiences without automatically reacting) also tended to think of themselves as more multiculturally competent. In addition, mindfulness and mindfulness practices contributed a significant amount of additional variance on MCC and its subscales above and beyond the multicultural training and demographic variables. Study limitations and directions for future research were discussed.