Cultural Competence with Humility: A Pre-Post Cohort Study of Student Self-Assessments

Abstract

Purpose: The intent of this study is to examine how Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) and Counseling and Human Development (CHD) graduate students who experienced Counselors and Occupational Therapists Professionally Engaged (COPE) in the Community program perceived their self-evaluation of cultural competence with humility (CCH) constructs (cultural awareness, skills, knowledge, and desire) from pre- to post-experience. Methods: Using a pre-/post-test cohort design, researchers used the Modified Cultural Competency Self-Assessment (M-CCSA) to determine if there were changes in ratings after students completed a novel training program. Results: Twenty-five students completed the pre-/post- survey. Overall, the mean M-CCSA total and subsection ratings on the post-COPE program were higher than the pre-COPE program with 14 of 25 (56%) students rating themselves higher on CCH variables after completing the COPE program. The mean difference (MD) score was statistically significant for the Cultural Skills subsection (MD = .19, t(24)= 2.69, p = .01, d =.36) with a small effect size. The Cultural Desire secondary analysis (MD = .20, t(24)= 1.75, p = .09, d =.57) approached statistical significance with a moderate effect size. The MD was not statistically significant for the M-CCSA total score (MD = .10, t(24)= 1.24, p = .23, d =.25), Cultural Awareness subsection (MD = .07, t(24)= .60, p = .56, d =.60), and Cultural Knowledge subsection (MD = .03, t(24)= .42, p = .68, d =.40). Conclusions: Students' overall M-CCSA increased after completing the COPE program. The results suggest that the COPE program may have positively influenced students' development of CCH (cultural awareness, knowledge, skills, and desire). This research adds to the existing body of evidence suggesting that interprofessional multicultural learning activities are beneficial to learning CCH.