This book is designed to guide mental health practitioners in conducting culturally competent and effective work with economically disadvantaged youth from African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Native American backgrounds. It outlines the theoretical constructs for understanding how cultural and socioeconomic differences have an impact on assessment, diagnosis, and service delivery. Case studies are used to illustrate situations and serve to help clinicians gain insight into the impact of poverty and discrimination on young people. The cases also provide practitioners with an understanding of family belief systems and the cultural expectations associated with children's behavior. The book offers suggestions on how to conduct interviews with reluctant participants, how to use available diagnosis criteria, and what interventions to use. It includes examples of community programs that focus on culturally competent interventions, and ideas for model programs. It covers school and learning stressors, such as language problems and special education placement/misplacement, as well as issues that lead to successful education for a diverse student population. A major focus of the interventions is how to raise a youth's feeling of self-worth. Chapter titles include: (1) "The Influence of Culture and Multiple Social Stressors on the Culturally Diverse Child"; (2) "History Taking"; (3) "Culturally Sensitive Psychological Assessment"; (4) "Diagnostic Categories" (5) "Culturally Sensitive and Competent Therapeutic Interventions"; and (6) "The Clinician as Advocate." Contains over 420 references. (JDM)