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Cited by 35Counseling Practices and SupervisionCultural Competency in Health CareMigration, Health and Trauma

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Culturally sensitive psychotherapy—technique or attitude?

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Stingl, Markus, Hanewald, Bernd·2025·Frontiers in Psychology
DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1599855PMC PMC12529938
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Abstract

Culturally sensitive psychotherapy is essential in increasingly diverse societies, where cultural, religious, and linguistic differences shape how distress is experienced and communicated. This article conceptualizes culturally sensitive psychotherapy not only as a set of techniques, but as a reflective professional attitude. Drawing on models of intercultural competence and clinical examples, the article explores how culture affects the expression of symptoms, help-seeking behavior, and therapeutic relationships, especially among migrants. Integrating the cultural contexts enhances diagnostic accuracy, therapeutic alliance, and treatment outcomes. The approach balances awareness of cultural influence with the risk of stereotyping, urging clinicians to adopt a self-reflective stance. Culturally sensitive psychotherapy thus fosters effective and respectful care across diverse populations.

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Metadata

Authors
Stingl, M., & Hanewald, B.
Affiliations
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (DE)
Corresponding author
Stingl, Markus
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Psychology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2025-10-02
Volume
16
Pages
1599855-1599855
ISSN
1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1599855
PMC
PMC12529938
OpenAlex
W4414755021
Cited by
35
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 33 · 2025: 2
FWCI
5.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Universitätsbibliothek Gießen (cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Counseling Practices and Supervision
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Cultural Competency in Health Care
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
Keywords
culturally sensitive psychotherapy, intercultural competence, professional attitudes, therapeutic relationship, help-seeking, migrants, diagnostic accuracy, stereotyping, self-reflection, cultural diversity in mental health care

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Stingl, M., & Hanewald, B. (2025). Culturally sensitive psychotherapy—technique or attitude? Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1599855