The designation underrepresented groups is a term used to describe those who lack political, social, and economic equity compared with the dominant group in the society. While other countries have similar groups, such as the First Nations in Canada or minorities in China, this entry will confine itself to the United States of America. The entry provides a context for understanding underrepresented groups, including a discussion of the psychosocial variables that affect the individuals in those groups and the concept of intercultural competence.

Underrepresented groups in the United States have traditionally been identified as racial and ethnic minorities, namely, American Indians and Alaska Natives, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, and Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. These groups have been actively disenfranchised from having ...