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Background and Purpose. As the ethnic diversity of the US population continues to increase, the likelihood that students will interact with patients or supervisors from a cultural heritage different from their own becomes certain. Preparing students for culturally successful interactions in clinics is paramount. The purposes of this article are to present a model of preparation in cross-cultural sensitivity and to evaluate its effectiveness in a curricular setting.
Method/Model Description and Evaluation. The model consists of 3 phases: understanding cultural differences through classroom presentations, simulated classroom application through group projects, and clinical application through provision of physical therapy services to patients of various cultures. The model was evaluated by use of the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI) administered to 2 consecutive groups of professional (entry-level) physical therapist students before and after the curricular unit. Outcomes. In the first group of students, there was no difference in pre versus postinstruction CCAI scores, but the second group of students showed a significant increase. The most valued topics of discussion included global health belief systems and cross-cultural communication. Students unanimously voted to make these discussions a permanent part of the curriculum.
Discussion and Conclusion. A structured 3-phase model of instruction on multiculturalism for students may result in increased potential for cross-cultural effectiveness, as measured with the CCAI.
Faculty members revising cross-cultural content may wish to consider this model.
Key Words: Cross-cultural sensitivity, Model, Physical therapy education, Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory.
We live in a global society. According to the 2000 US population census, 75.1% of the US population is white, a noticeable decrease from 80.3% in 1990.1 In keeping with this population shift, physical therapy professionals are treating patients from culturally diverse backgrounds. To be successful in this environment, a practitioner must be skilled in cross-cultural interactions in order to ensure patient cooperation and well-being.
"Culture" represents an intangible set of acquired societal mores that acts as a filter through which people perceive and respond to daily life.2,3 The physical therapy environment, the therapist-patient relationship, and the intervention process all pass through this filter of perception and response-the filters of both the therapist and the patient. A person's health belief system influences not only that person's understanding of the cause of disease and disability but also that person's expectations...