Pat K. Chew

Culture and Race in Provider-Client Relationships

SUMMARY Given that minority group members are underrepresented in the teaching, medical, and legal professions, minority group members often have White teachers, doctors, and lawyers. This is frequently the case even when students, patients, and clients would prefer service providers similar to them in racial or ethnic background. This paper identifies possible cultural barriers to effective one-on-one relationships between White teachers, doctors, and lawyers and those who receive their services; explores the potential for biased expectations to influence the services provided and outcomes attained; and contrasts the goals of White and minority educators, doctors, and lawyers, arguing that these differences have potentially negative implications for minority service recipients. Policy approaches to mitigating potential problems caused by the lack of match are considered, as are potential problems arising from an overly narrow emphasis on match.