Social Work Commons^™

Providing Counseling Services To Spanish Speaking Clients, Maritza Pelayo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aimed to determine the need for practical and academic training in Spanish for bilingual social work students. Using an exploratory method with a qualitative approach, the researcher interviewed bilingual MSW students who were providing counseling services in Spanish and who had not received any training in clinical Spanish. The study used purposive sampling to interview and evaluate participants’ perception of competence in providing services to Spanish speakers. Through data analysis, the researcher identified three themes: linguistic issues in clinical terminology, discomfort feelings, and language expectation. A limitation of this study included that the results could not be generalized …