Development of cultural bias awareness activities for a counselor education diagnostic course: a mixed-methods feasibility evaluation

Cultural reproduction theory posits that cultural resources are transmitted across generations, suggesting early parental influences on cultural experiences in adulthood. Further, cultural resources may be transferred within the same generation-through significant others, such as spouses. This study investigates cultural engagement among middle-aged adults, focusing on individual and spousal influences of childhood cultural engagement. A sample of 1,271 couples (age 49-66) from the 2012 Korean Baby Boomer Panel Study and the Korean Forgotten Generation Study was analyzed. Each respondent reported the number of arts and cultural activities (e.g., paintings, literature, and classical music) and levels of perceived cultural engagement (i.e., cultural awareness) during childhood and at midlife. Actor-partner interdependence models (APIMs) were estimated to examine how spouses' childhood and midlife cultural engagement were linked within couples. Findings showed that wives reported higher levels of activity participation and cultural awareness in childhood and midlife, compared to husbands. The APIM results indicated that beyond one's own childhood cultural engagement, spouse's childhood cultural awareness was associated with both levels of participation in arts and cultural activities (only for husbands) and cultural awareness (for both husbands and wives) at midlife. Cultural activities and awareness can be valuable assets to enhance overall well-being in later life. Given the cross-spousal associations in cultural engagement among Korean middle-aged couples, both spouses' cultural resources need to be considered for the design of interventions and policies to cultivate cultural competence and promote cultural engagement in adulthood.

Objectives: Pulse diagnosis, a tactile method, is limited in expressibility and heavily reliant on practitioner experience, making it subjective and challenging for new learners. Pulse diagnosis devices were developed to address these issues, yet studies on their educational use remain limited. This study explores limitations in pulse diagnosis training for Korean medical students and examines changes in understanding and proficiency after device use.Methods: This survey study included 90 students from a diagnostic practice course at a Korean medical college in 2024. A 42-question survey assessed educational improvements, changes in understanding and proficiency, and evaluated the device, with participation limited to volunteers.Results: A total of 40 students responded. Most found the pulse diagnosis device helpful for improving knowledge and proficiency, though limited practice time was noted as an area needing improvement. After practicing with the pulse diagnosis device, both understanding and proficiency improved overall, with notable gains in proficiency, especially for superficial and deep pulses. Slippery and hesitant pulses remained the most challenging. The primary difficulty students faced in studying pulse diagnosis was a lack of standardization, though 66.7% reported improvement after practice. While measurement challenges were the most common drawback, 97.5% expressed satisfaction with the device, and 75.0% showed willingness to use it clinically.Conclusions: Integrating pulse diagnosis devices in courses improves students’ understanding and proficiency, supporting their educational value. Expanding applications, such as incorporating pattern identification in future device training, may further enrich pulse diagnosis education.

Cultural competence and awareness are indispensable in contemporary healthcare, particularly in our diverse and multicultural society. Understanding the influence of culture on individuals' values, beliefs, preferences, and behaviours is crucial for providing culturally sensitive care.Objective: This qualitative study aims to explore the significance of enhanced intercultural communication skills in healthcare professions, particularly those involving interactions across diverse cultural backgrounds, with a specific focus on aged care.Methods:Thirteen narrative interviews were conducted with newly graduated nurses employed in private healthcare settings, using semi-structured interview techniques. Qualitative thematic analysis was employed to analyse the collected data. Results:The overarching themes highlight the crucial role of cultural competence and awareness in translating theoretical knowledge into practical application. Key factors such as effective communication, building rapport, and respecting language preferences are emphasized. Consistent interactions are essential for establishing trust and delivering individualized care to diverse cultural backgrounds. Understanding the cultural influences on health beliefs and behaviours is paramount for tailoring care plans effectively. The study also addresses challenges faced by newly graduated nurses, especially in caring for older adults and engaging with culturally diverse family caregivers, with a focus on language and communication barriers. Despite these obstacles, nurses exhibit adaptability by leveraging skills and tools such as smartphone apps, while embracing a person-centered approach that involves family members. Conclusion: This study highlights the crucial role of cultural awareness in healthcare to enhance nurses' cultural competence and elevate patient care standards. It advocates for the integration of cultural considerations into nursing education, specifically addressing the needs of indigenous communities

Cultural issues have become a significant aspect of the sport psychology field. As clinicians develop their practice to include more diverse athletes and sport psychologists expand to work in multicultural settings, Cultural Sport Psychology will prove to be a beneficial reference for the field. It is the first full text to focus entirely on cultural awareness, and its timeliness will spark increased discussion, reflection, and research of cultural considerations in sport psychology practice. Cultural Sport Psychology offers researchers, practitioners, and consultants an excellent starting point for future research and practice. With contributions from a diverse group of established and aspiring experts in sport psychology, the text offers a complete and authoritative look at this developing field. The first two sections of the book will help readers understand the background of cultural sport psychology and how and why it should be studied. Concepts and theories shaping cultural sport psychology are identified and explored, and general guidelines are provided for practitioners to employ a cultural sport psychology approach. Part III of the text offers rich and varied approaches to the practice of cultural sport psychology. Within this extensive 12-chapter section, contributors offer their firsthand experiences working with athletes in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, and the United States. Some contributors offer a national perspective, focus on the influence of religion, or discuss cultural communities within a country and how to work effectively in relation to each. Others focus on cultural communities outside the mainstream, such as specific minority groups within the United States, Canada, and Australia. Case studies, advice, and suggestions in each chapter assist practitioners in engaging in multicultural exchanges within their sport psychology consulting sessions. Each chapter concludes with final suggestions or reflections based on the authors’ experiences. Cultural Sport Psychology focuses on important cultural factors such as religion, gender, personal space, and social structure. These factors and many others are laden with cultural assumptions that may contribute—positively or negatively—to athletic performance and an athlete's well-being. As the first compilation on the topic of multicultural considerations in sport psychology, Cultural Sport Psychology assists practitioners in creating strategies relative to the culture and context of their clients. This text is certain to stimulate ongoing discourse and encourage increased focus on effective cultural sport psychology practice.

Cultural awareness is linked with improved patient outcomes across populations but can be challenging for nurse educators to teach. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multimodal strategy for increasing cultural awareness in prelicensure nursing students using a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods design. Following implementation of curricular revisions, analysis of the Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Checklist was completed for a sample of 106 students. Results were statistically significant across all areas and analysis of reflective writing resulted in three major themes. Designing cultural awareness learning activities should be a major focus of nurse educators.

Culture, as a nation's invaluable asset, must continuously be introduced and preserved in alignment with the progress of time. Integrating cultural studies with scientific knowledge through education fosters the development of cultural awareness attitudes. A generation trained in cultural sensitivity will recognize the significance of heritage and innovate its presentation to suit contemporary developments. This study explores the use of a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model integrated with the ethnochemistry of Malay culture—specifically utilizing traditional curd milk—in teaching chemical kinetics to enhance students' cultural awareness. The research employed a quasi-experimental method with a nonequivalent pre-test–post-test control group design, conducted at SMAN 2 Siak Hulu, Kampar, Riau Province, involving Grade XI Science students. Cultural awareness attitudes were assessed using indicators adapted from Wunderle, including data and information gathering, cultural consideration, cultural knowledge, cultural understanding, and cultural competence. The results demonstrated that the experimental group achieved an average cultural awareness score of 81.85 (categorized as Very Good), whereas the control group attained an average of 60.84 (Fairly Good). The learning model contributed significantly to enhancing cultural awareness attitudes, with a contribution rate of 56.1%. These findings suggest that integrating ethnochemistry within PBL effectively cultivates both scientific and cultural competencies in students.Keywords: cultural awareness, ethnochemistry, malay culture, PBL

Many psychiatrists, and other providers alike, find difficulty integrating a culture-centered approach to clinical practice and navigating the challenges when they arise. We call attention to the ongoing challenges of addressing the cultural barriers between patient and physician. We present a case of an African patient with a rare case of Fahr's syndrome whose clinical diagnostic course was complicated by culture and language barriers. The patient's hospital course was challenged by cultural and language barriers that were difficult to integrate into her care, likely contributing to a prolonged diagnostic course and hospitalization. Cultural considerations in medicine can enhance patient-physician relationships and ultimately strengthen clinical outcomes.

Cultural Competence in Sports Medicine is a must-have resource for any health care professional who works with athletes and patients of diverse cultural backgrounds. This unique text stresses the importance of recognizing different cultural attitudes, beliefs, and expectations so that athletic trainers and other health care professionals can modify their professional behavior accordingly to reflect their sensitivity to their patients’ needs, ultimately resulting in a comfortable and positive health care experience for patients. The need to provide behaviorally competent health care to diverse populations prompted the National Athletic Trainers’ Association to identify cultural awareness as a key competency for all certified athletic trainers, including entry-level athletic trainers. Cultural Competence in Sports Medicine supports this objective by defining the concept, explaining why it is important, and using examples specific to athletic trainers and other health professionals working with athletes. The text covers the various cultural competence theories and models, including the process of cultural competence in the delivery of health care services, which serves as a foundational model for the remainder of the text. Because readers will need to understand their own biases before they can begin to change them, the text offers information on analyzing and assessing one's own cultural attitudes and behaviors. Once readers are prepared with that cultural awareness, the text builds cultural knowledge about various racial and ethnic groups, including the origin of culture, common sensitivities and conditions, possible beliefs about illness and preventive healing practices, and providing symptom management and treatments. Cultural Competence in Sports Medicine also presents strategies for engaging in cross-cultural interactions. Readers will learn these factors: • Cultural considerations for each stage in the physical assessment process, including taking an oral history, inspecting, observing, and palpating • How to work through an interpreter to foster clear communication with athletes • The conventional dress code generally expected by different cultures to cultivate a professional atmosphere • Appropriate palpation techniques across cultures so athletes are comfortable with the type and degree of physical contact • The differences in acceptable interaction between male and female clients Activities throughout the text provide opportunities for students to apply their developing cultural awareness and related skills. Role-playing exercises help readers realize and understand their own cultural viewpoints, while thought-provoking “What Would You Do?” sections detail a cultural encounter and encourage the reader to reflect on the situation either individually or through in-class discussion. Each chapter also includes chapter objectives, interviews with professionals, review questions, and key terms to help students comprehend and retain the information presented. Instructors will find an online instructor guide and test package to help them plan and deliver their courses. Cultural Competence in Sports Medicine explores methods of assessing the overall cultural competence of a health care organization. Whether part of an institutional mission or a personal objective to become more behaviorally competent when working with athletes or patients of diverse cultures, this text will serve as a guide. Readers will begin to understand their own cultural viewpoints and those of others while learning the tools to apply their new cultural awareness in offering more culturally sensitive and supportive health care to their athletes and patients.

The investigation of attitudes towards different groups is crucial for improving intergroup relations and increasing acceptance of diversity. The present research examined the potential of metacognitive understanding of cultural self in improving attitudes towards migrants, as individuals reflectively consider their cultural assumptions in evaluating migrants. We tested the effect of individuals’ awareness of culture’s influence on the self (i.e., cultural self-awareness) and how such an effect was moderated by how much individuals’ life experience involved foreign cultures (i.e., multicultural involvement). Study 1 measured American participants’ cultural self-awareness and attitudes towards immigrants. Studies 2 and 3 manipulated Taiwanese participants’ cultural self-awareness and measured their attitudes towards Southeast Asian migrant workers (Studies 2 and 3) and marriage immigrants (Study 3). Results showed that cultural self-awareness had a more positive effect on attitudes towards migrants for low (vs. high) multicultural involvement individuals. The positive role of metacognitive cultural self in intergroup relations and the boundary conditions for such positive effect are discussed.

The indigenous people Sámi are an ethnic minority living in Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Throughout history, Sámis have been living close to nature. Working with reindeer husbandry, fishing-farming, hunting, herding, and harvesting for food supplies, has traditionally been an integral part of their lives. Currently, only 2,500 of the ~65,000 Sámis in Norway are operating reindeer husbandry (2019). Most Sámis today work in mainstream jobs, and the fishing-farming culture gradually become more like the mainstream societies where Sámis live. Fieldwork with participant observation and semi-structured interviews carried out at Riddu Riđđu Festivala in the period 2009–2018. In addition, the governing bodies of seven other Sámi festivals have been interviewed. All together 46 in-depth interviews and participant observations conducted, in addition to document analysis of the festivals. The aim was to study how physical and outdoor activities included in the festivals create indigenous people's identities and cultural understanding and how the activities at the festivals might develop climate and environmental awareness. Indigenous festivals and their governing bodies offer many different forms of physical and cultural activities from Sámis and different indigenous peoples to the youth and children taking part. Further, the study shows that important aims for the organizers are to spread the knowledge about Sámis (i.e., local coastal Sámis and regional reindeer/Inland Sámis) and other indigenous peoples, and making environment-friendly festivals. They are trying to educate the children and youth in the cultural practices of their forefathers and foremothers. The manifold of activities offered at the festivals seem to create sustainable ties between persons, which equip the participants with social and cultural capital in addition to networks across festivals organizations internationally. The participants further express that taking part in the festival activities create symbolic capital, due to that they might express their indigeneity at the festivals both for people living in the region and for a greater audience. According to the participants, the festivals have equipped the participants with cultural awareness, as well as the children and youth taught an appreciation of nature so they can enjoy and respect nature and develop climate and environmental awareness.

Despite increasing interest in traditional games as pedagogical tools, research remains limited in explaining their interdisciplinary value, their contribution to children’s social-emotional well-being, their cultural relevance, and their applicability in online learning. This study addresses these gaps by examining the use of traditional games in a private primary school in Central Java with 120 students aged 7–11. Using a mixed-methods design, it integrates survey data on engagement, stress, and cultural awareness with focus group and interview insights to capture students’ and teachers’ experiences. Findings reveal that traditional games foster a heightened sense of cultural identity and promote cooperative behavior among students, thereby improving interpersonal skills and cultural understanding. Simultaneously, certain games posed challenges for students with varying physical abilities or differing familiarity with cultural practices, which occasionally led to frustration or disengagement. In the context of online learning, integrating traditional games required adaptive strategies, highlighting both the potential for innovative, interactive digital activities and the limitations imposed by technological infrastructure and student readiness. These results underscore the multifaceted role of traditional games as a bridge between cultural education, mental well-being, and interdisciplinary learning, suggesting careful selection, adaptation, and scaffolding are essential to maximize their educational value while mitigating situational challenges. Keywords: cultural awareness, mental health, online learning integration, traditional games

This paper examines adult learning within United States based journals through the lens of culture. Four thematic areas from the literature are highlighted. These themes include: critically examining one’s own and others’ cultural stories; utilizing sociocultural approaches to facilitate or guide adult learning; developing and maintaining dialog; and incorporating strategies to improve people’s cultural awareness and competency. Implications for practice are addressed throughout. A concluding discussion suggests areas for future research.

Culture and schizophrenia

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Design for a Secondary School Equity Program: Utilizing Culturally Responsive and Values-Engaged Approaches

The Maori and Pacific Islands peoples of New Zealand suffer a greater burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and associated comorbidities than their European counterparts. Empirical evidence supports the clinical application of aerobic and resistance training for effective diabetes management and potential remission, but few studies have investigated the effectiveness of these interventions in specific ethnic cohorts. We recently conducted the first trial to investigate the effect of prescribed exercise training in Polynesian people with T2DM. This article presents the cultural considerations undertaken to successfully implement the study. The research procedures were accepted and approved by cultural liaisons and potential participants. The approved methodology involved a trial evaluating and comparing the effects of two, 16-week exercise regimens (i.e. aerobic training and resistance training) on glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), related diabetes markers (i.e. insulin resistance, blood lipids, relevant cytokines and anthropometric and hemodynamic indices) and health-related quality of life. Future exercise-related research or implementation strategies in this cohort should focus on cultural awareness and techniques to enhance participation and compliance. Our approach to cultural consultation could be considered by researchers undertaking trials in this and other ethnic populations suffering an extreme burden of T2DM, including indigenous Australians and Americans.