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Calls for incorporating cultural competence in psychology have been hindered for a number of reasons: belief in the universality of psychological laws and theories, the invisibility of monocultural policies and practices, differences over defining cultural competence, and the lack of a conceptual framework for organizing its multifaceted dimensions...
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In response to the presence of health disparities among a diverse population of older adults, creating culturally competent health care services has emerged as a possible method to help reduce and eventually eliminate inequalities in health care. However, little information exists concerning the effectiveness of cultural competence, and even less i...
Comprehensive cultural competency includes knowledge and awareness of culturally based healing and wellness practices. Healthcare providers should be aware of the individual patient's beliefs, culture, and use of culturally based health practices because patients may adopt such practices for general wellness or as adjunct therapies without the bene...
Citations
... Such an approach could involve providing care in a culturally responsive care manner (i.e., healthcare providers reflecting on their own culture, remaining open and celebrating the patient's culture) [33], actively listening to patients' concerns and discussing the potential benefits, costs and risks of treatment options. Within this context, self-reflection, acknowledgement of the limits of competencies [34] and efforts to recognise and mitigate unconscious biases in provider-patient interactions are essential [35]. ...
Issue Addressed
Healthcare access disparities, particularly among migrant populations, are escalating. This research focuses on exploring aspects related to healthcare access disparities in the rapidly growing South Asian communities in Australia, which bear a disproportionate burden of chronic diseases.
Methods
This study employed an exploratory sequential mixed‐method approach (qualitative followed by quantitative), with five focus group discussions (six to eight participants each) and an online survey (n = 460). NVivo and SPSS were used for qualitative and quantitative analysis, respectively.
Results
The study participants are from South Asia, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Thematic analysis of focus group discussions identified factors influencing healthcare service utilisation among migrants, including a preference for home remedies over doctor consultations, language barriers, limited access to relevant information, high costs of specialist and dental care, dissatisfaction with rushed doctor interactions and system‐related concerns. One in six survey respondents encountered challenges in accessing timely healthcare, with the most frequently reported barriers being prolonged waiting times (72%), out‐of‐pocket expenses (48%), and limited awareness and availability of services (36%). Migrants with multiple chronic diseases faced the highest barriers to accessing timely healthcare (57.8%), with significantly higher odds of encountering these barriers than those with no or one chronic condition (OR = 0.436, 95% CI = 0.222–0.856).
Conclusions
South Asian migrants face challenges to access affordable, timely, patient‐centred healthcare. A robust collaboration between services, healthcare providers and the community is essential for sustainable solutions.
So What?
Reducing waiting times and language barriers, improving awareness of available services and enhancing access to affordable specialist and dental services are imperative to foster equitable healthcare outcomes for Australia's diverse population.
... A mental health professional may receive training in psychology at the bachelor's, master's, or doctoral levels, with each level providing increased opportunities to engage in education that addresses the multifaceted aspect of cultural competency (D. W. Sue, 2001), including immigration. Research suggests that clinical experiences within graduate training in psychology are associated with cultural competencies (Lee & Khawaja, 2013). ...
Mental health professionals’ developing competencies in relation to immigrant mental health are outpaced by the expanding need for psychological services in this area (Cadenas et al., 2022). The ongoing development of immigrant mental health competencies provides foundational guidance (Mercado et al., 2022). In this exploratory study, we identified five domains of experience (i.e., education, career, professional role, immigrant community, and lived experience with marginalization) that may promote immigrant mental health competencies. We assessed 755 mental health professionals (practitioners, academics, and graduate students) on three foundational competencies for working with immigrant populations (i.e., awareness, knowledge, and systemic self-efficacy). A series of factorial multivariate analyses of variance probed interaction effects, suggesting that full-time practitioners and individuals with greater immigrant community experience displayed greater competencies than other professionals. Higher levels of education (i.e., graduate training) and career experience were associated with higher knowledge regarding immigrant populations. Latinx and Asian psychology professionals reported greater competencies compared to White professionals. Among part-time providers, women reported higher self-efficacy than men. These findings have implications for developing training to promote immigrant mental health competencies tailored to the nature and extent of prior lived experiences.
... Multicultural Competence is the ability to engage in actions or create conditions that maximize the optimal development of individuals or individual systems (Sue & Sue, 2008). This change is developed through an individual's acquisition of awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralistic society; and on an organizational/societal level, advocating effectively for the development of new theories, practices, policies, and organizational structures that are more responsive to all groups (Sue, 2001). Banks (1995) explains the importance of education in the form of the three constructs of multicultural competence. ...
... Finally, the skills reflect the beliefs and knowledge about ethnic and cultural groups and can either limit the perspectives of many or make a positive difference in the opportunities available to individuals. Sue (2001) developed the Multidimensional model for Developing Cultural Competence (MDCC). The MDCC consists of three primary dimensions of multicultural competence: specific racial/cultural group perspectives, components of cultural competence, and foci of cultural competence (see Figure 1). ...
... This continued reflection results in growth/cognitive expansion of their self-provenance. As the educator's selfprovenance expands, so does the ability to empathize among a more diverse group of individuals; hence skill development (Sue, 2001). Simultaneously, an increase interest should begin to form in the educator with the desire to learn more about the new provenance through a variety of approaches (e.g. ...
... The social justice theory was used as it aimed at addressing injustice in higher education institutions and promoting principles of access to resources, equity, participation, diversity, and human rights [Van den Bos 2003]. Sue [2001] further explained that social justice theory aims to create more egalitarian societies and reduce the exploitation of marginalized groups. The disparities within higher education institutions highlight certain inequities and social injustices. ...
... This theory provides critical insights into the effective training and education of Pastoral Care and Counselling professionals in Africa, ensuring they are equipped to address the unique cultural challenges within their communities. Cultural Competency Theory, originally developed in healthcare and social work fields, posits that effective service delivery must be grounded in an understanding of the cultural beliefs, values, and practices of the target population (Sue, 2001). In the context of Pastoral Care and Counselling in Africa, cultural competency is crucial due to the continent's diverse religious and cultural landscape. ...
Pastoral Care and Counselling in Africa have a rich history, blending indigenous healing traditions with Christian missionary influences. The demand for professional pastoral care has grown due to rising mental health challenges, socioeconomic crises, and public health emergencies such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. However, the training and education of pastoral care professionals in Africa face critical challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of qualified faculty, and curricula that often lack cultural relevance. This paper adopts a qualitative research approach, primarily utilizing library-based research and secondary data analysis to examine the current state of pastoral counselling training in Africa. Drawing on Cultural Competency Theory, the study highlights the need for culturally sensitive and leadership-driven training models that integrate African worldviews with modern counselling approaches. The major findings indicate that existing training programs often rely heavily on Western counselling models, which may not fully address the cultural and spiritual contexts of African communities. Additionally, there is a lack of structured mentorship and supervision, which hampers the professional development of trainees. The paper recommends strengthening academic institutions, developing culturally relevant curricula, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and establishing professional standards to address these challenges. Implementing these recommendations will enhance the quality of pastoral care training in Africa, resulting in a more skilled and culturally competent workforce capable of addressing the holistic needs of African populations.
... To do this successfully, they need to have cultural competencies that primarily focus on personal competencies, encompassing knowledge, skills, and values (Perso, 2012). Scholars have emphasized variations of these components, such as attitude/value, knowledge, and skills (Martin & Vaughn, 2007;Sue, 2001). ...
... The findings of the study demonstrate that the participating instructors expressed a clear awareness of certain dimensions, such as students' traits, and emphasized the importance of fairness, empathy, and respect in their roles as educators. These findings seem to be in line with what numerous scholars in the field of multicultural education have emphasized regarding the crucial role of teachers in fostering societal transformation by promoting equal and equitable learning opportunities within schools (Banks, 2004;Jones, 1997;Sue, 2001;Villegas & Lucas, 2002). Previous research by Özdemir (2018) has also indicated that cultural empathy, as a personality trait, significantly predicts multicultural awareness, skills, and knowledge. ...
This study aimed to explore English as a foreign language (EFL) instructors’ perceptions concerning their multicultural teaching competence in terms of four dimensions, namely awareness, knowledge, attitude, and skill. The study employed a convergent mixed-method research design, involving 114 EFL instructors across Turkish universities. Qualitative data collection involved two phases: semi-structured interviews with 20 instructors initially, followed by video-stimulated interviews with four instructors using in-class video recordings. The quantitative findings revealed that EFL instructors perceived themselves as highly competent in attitudes toward diversity, moderately high in awareness, knowledge, and skills dimensions. However, the qualitative data provided a deeper insight into the dimensions of multicultural teaching competence, which indicated relatively high competence. The study highlights the need for in-service training among current teachers and curriculum updates for pre-service teachers to effectively manage diversity in classrooms due to the increasing presence of learners from diverse backgrounds
... 32 33 Our research found that mentees wanted a mentor who had achieved integrative awareness which included internalising a non-racist identity. 34 What can help me? In our research, we found that allyship is important and expectations of allyship can help shape the mentoring relation at the start of the mentoring process. ...
Objective
Mentoring plays a crucial role in career development, particularly for black and minoritised ethnic (BME) professionals. However, existing literature lacks clarity on the impact of mentoring and how best to deliver for career success. This study aimed to ascertain perceptions and build consensus on what is important in mentoring for BME healthcare professionals.
Design
Nominal group technique: The participants in the group followed a structured stepwise process of introduction, silent idea generation, each participant presenting ideas in turn, open discussion and priority voting based on common themes generated during the discussion. This was followed by the creation of a model covering the important aspects of mentoring for BME healthcare professionals.
Setting
UK.
Participants
A nominal group technique workshop with 12 participants briefed on this technique.
Results
There was strong agreement about the most highly rated attributes. Participants emphasised the significance of psychosocial mentoring, highlighting trust, intimacy and clear communication of expectations between mentor and mentee. Discussions on race and racism in mentoring were considered essential. Mentoring circles were proposed as complementary to one-to-one mentoring, offering peer support. Participants stressed the importance of allies in the mentoring process, highlighting the need for authenticity, humility and courage in challenging established norms.
Conclusion
This study helped create a mentoring model tailored to the needs of BME health and care professionals. This model highlights the importance of sponsorship, allyship, surface characteristics and peer support in fostering career progression for BME mentees. Key elements include mentor honesty, humility and awareness of bias and race issues, alongside skills for effective mentoring relationships. This model provides a mechanism for supporting and mentoring BME workers in healthcare for career advancement.
... A teoria da competência multicultural tem dado conta de explicar o porquê algumas e alguns psicoterapeutas se saem melhor que outras(os) no trabalho com pessoas negras. Sue (2001) evidencia que a competência multicultural representa uma habilidade de lidar com grupos estigmatizados, marginalizados e sub-representados que se exterioriza na experiência e na capacidade de trabalhar efetivamente com pessoas de grupos culturais diversos (Hook et al., 2013). ...
... A negação da racialização (cegueira racial) e a dificuldade em entrar em contato com os próprios preconceitos internalizados (1) "no respeito e na promoção da liberdade, da dignidade, da igualdade e da integridade do ser humano"; (2) na promoção de "saúde e qualidade de vida das pessoas e das coletividades, contribuindo para a eliminação de quaisquer formas de negligência, discriminação, exploração, violência, crueldade e opressão"; (3) na atuação "com responsabilidade social, analisando crítica e historicamente a realidade política, econômica, social e cultural"; (4) na consideração "às relações de poder nos contextos em que atua e os impactos dessas relações sobre as suas atividades profissionais, posicionando-se de forma crítica". Desse modo, embora suas respostas tenham sido no sentido de discordar da necessidade de habilidades especiais/específicas para o trabalho com pacientes negras(os), a sua atuação está instrumentalizada pelo conjunto de normas a serem seguidas pelas(os) psicólogas(os), como trazem nas suas elucidações: (Sue, 2001;Drinane et al., 2016). ...
É possível identificar as(os) psicoterapeutas competentes daquelas e daqueles que não o são. A teoria da competência multicultural tem dado conta de explicar o porquê algumas e alguns psicoterapeutas se saem melhor que outras(os), no trabalho com pessoas negras. O objetivo deste estudo foi explorar, numa análise temática, a atuação de psicólogas(os) e as suas habilidades especiais/específicas para exercer a psicoterapia com pessoas negras, bem como refletir sobre problemas que comumente aparecem nesse trabalho, tomando como base as suas respostas sobre a sua percepção acerca do trabalho com pacientes/clientes negras(os) e outras interseccionalidades que atravessam essas subjetividades racializadas. A amostra foi composta por 163 psicoterapeutas que foram convidadas(os) a elucidar suas percepções e experiências a respeito da psicoterapia com pacientes negras(os), a partir das seguintes questões disparadoras: (1) para aqueles que não têm pacientes negras(os), identificação de quais os motivos; (2) percepção ou não de diferenças entre pacientes brancas(os) e negras(os) e, em caso afirmativo, indicação dessas diferenças; (3) avaliação se a psicoterapia com pessoas negras(os) exige habilidades especiais/específicas e quais essas seriam, em caso afirmativo - e, em caso negativo, explicação dos motivos pelos quais entendem que essas habilidades especiais/específicas não são necessárias; (4) recomendações para o trabalho psicoterapêutico com pessoas de culturas/experiências diversas do padrão normativo, como, por exemplo, grupos racializados, comunidade LGBTQIA+, imigrantes e/ou refugiados, pessoas com deficiência e/ou com necessidades especiais. Foi possível constatar ser necessário aprofundamento dos conhecimentos teóricos e práticos das(dos) psicoterapeutas sobre as competências multiculturais na Psicoterapia com clientes/pacientes negras(os).
... Although we found several frequently cited questionnaires [23][24][25], most focused on North-American population dynamics, had different target groups, or were too lengthy to administer. After careful review, the CCCQ [26], a validated 86-item self-assessment tool measuring four ICC dimensions-Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Awareness-was selected for adaptation due to its consistency with established ICC models [27,28]. ...
Background
The growing number of vulnerable migrants and refugees (VMRs) in the European Union presents challenges to healthcare systems, emphasizing the need for enhanced intercultural competence training for healthcare professionals. Educational escape rooms, using gamification-based principles, may offer an innovative solution to improve these competencies.
Objective
This pilot study evaluates the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of an educational escape room aimed at improving intercultural competence, self-efficacy, and knowledge among healthcare students and professionals caring for VMRs.
Methods
A pre-post, single-group pilot study was conducted with 101 healthcare students and professionals, recruited through convenience sampling. Participants engaged in an educational escape room simulating a migratory crisis, designed to foster collaborative problem-solving under pressure. A newly validated questionnaire was administered before and after the intervention to measure changes in intercultural competence, self-efficacy, and knowledge. Paired t-tests were used to analyze pre-post differences, and thematic analysis explored participant feedback on the learning experience and the acceptability of the intervention.
Results
Significant improvements were observed in intercultural competence (d = 1.13, p < 0.001), self-efficacy (d = 0.38, p = 0.001), and knowledge (d = 1.19, p < 0.001). Participants reported high engagement, satisfaction, and an enhanced understanding of healthcare challenges related to VMRs. The escape room was deemed acceptable.
Conclusions
This pilot study provides evidence of the acceptability and effectiveness of an educational escape room in enhancing intercultural competence, self-efficacy, and knowledge. Further research with larger, more rigorous studies is recommended to confirm these findings and explore scalability.
... Despite some SPPs recognizing the importance of developing cultural awareness and sensitivity to enhance the chances of effective service delivery (Quartiroli, Vosloo, Schinke, et al., 2021), their approach to practice is often guided by frameworks grounded in Euro-centric and westernized values, beliefs, and worldviews (Ryba & Schinke, 2009). When working with clients from diverse backgrounds, traditional Euro-Western-centered theories of practice in psychology may not be as effective or applicable (Sue, 2001), highlighting the importance of SPPs deliberately developing a more culturally grounded approach to practice (Ryba et al., 2024). ...
We present two confessional tales of our transnational experience as U.K.-based trainee sport psychology practitioners working in a professional sport organization in Trinidad and Tobago. We first provide contextual elements of our placement before sharing the confessional tales regarding the nuances of providing sport psychology services in a cultural context different from the one in which we are currently training. In the confessional tales, we share some challenges and hurdles we experienced relating to our culturally led assumptions. The tales are titled “Boundary Issues” and “Punctuality Is a Privilege.” We then share some reflections in which we explore our lessons learned about cultural humility and describe our underestimation of our cultural arrogance and the challenges experienced during our cultural reflection process. We conclude this professional practice paper by offering several practical implications for trainees and qualified sport psychology practitioners to consider when developing a culturally grounded approach to practice.
