Race-Matching in Psychotherapy: Findings, Inconsistencies, and Future Directions

Abstract

Race-matching has been proposed as a viable approach for increasing mental health treatment utilization and enhancing treatment outcomes among ethnic minorities. However, consistent empirical support for race-matching has been lacking since the initial investigations in the 1960s. The variability in findings may result, in part, from methodological inconsistencies across race-matching studies. The purpose of this literature review was to examine the methodology and inconsistent findings among race/ethnicity-matching articles published between 1990 and 2009. It was determined that race-matching findings differed according to the outcome of interest and analytic strategies. Based on the findings and gaps in the literature, recommendations were provided in an effort to facilitate scientific progress and improve treatment outcomes for ethnic minorities.