Cultural Congruence Research Articles

Culturally Adapting an Internet-Delivered Mindfulness Intervention for Indonesian University Students Experiencing Psychological Distress: Mixed Methods Study.

Psychological distress is prevalent among university students. However, the availability of evidence-based mental health treatment remains limited in many low- and middle-income countries, including Indonesia. Internet-delivered, mindfulness-based interventions that reduce distress have potential for treating university student distress at scale. Unfortunately, evidence-based, internet-delivered mindfulness treatments are not yet available in Indonesia. Cultural adaptation of established evidence-based, internet-delivered mindfulness interventions is needed. In this paper, we describe the process of culturally adapting an Australian internet-delivered mindfulness program (Introduction to Mindfulness) to be relevant and appropriate for treating Indonesian university students' psychological distress. To assist the cultural adaptation process, we used a systematic cultural adaptation framework and a mixed methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods. In study 1 (information gathering), we administered an internet-delivered questionnaire to Indonesian university students (n=248) to examine their preferences regarding an internet-delivered mindfulness intervention. In study 2 (preliminary design), a draft program was developed and independently reviewed by Indonesian stakeholders. Stakeholders (n=25) included local Indonesian mindfulness and mental health professionals (n=6) and university students (n=19), who were selected to maximize sample representativeness regarding personal and professional characteristics. To evaluate the initial design and cultural congruence of the internet-delivered mindfulness program in the Indonesian context, we conducted interviews and focus groups with stakeholders. Stakeholders also completed the Cultural Relevance Questionnaire. In study 1, most Indonesian university students (240/248, 96.8%) reported openness to an internet-delivered mindfulness program. Most of interested students (127/240, 52.9%) preferred the length of the program to be 3 to 4 sessions, with 45.8% (110/240) preferring brief lessons taking only 15 to 30 minutes to complete. They (194/240, 80.8%) recommended that the program be accessible both through websites and mobile phones. In study 2, Indonesian stakeholders generally found the internet-delivered program to be highly culturally appropriate in terms of language, concepts, context, treatment goals, and depictions of students' emotional and behavioral experiences. However, stakeholders also recommended some specific adaptations regarding the program's delivery model (eg, combining visual and audio modalities when delivering psychoeducation), cultural components (eg, including more social and spiritual activities), program practicality (eg, including rewards to promote engagement), and design elements (eg, including additional culturally relevant illustrations). Following stakeholder feedback, a new culturally adapted Indonesian internet-delivered mindfulness program called Program Intervensi Mindfulness Daring Mahasiswa Indonesia was created. This study highlights the process and importance of cultural adaptation of an evidence-based mindfulness treatment and demonstrates how this may be achieved for internet-delivered psychotherapy programs. We found that a culturally adapted internet-delivered mindfulness program was relevant for Indonesian students with some adjustments to the programs' content and delivery. Future research is now needed to evaluate the clinical benefit of this program.

The innovation paradox of global work: Does cultural tightness shape or constrain innovative behaviour?

AbstractDrawing on role identity, dynamic constructivism and the norm‐based model of cultural tightness, we examine the innovation paradox of whether and how congruence of home and host culture in tandem with creative role identity not only enhances but also constrains different facets of innovative behaviour for global workers. Results reveal that the effects of loose home employees' cultural tightness congruence on idea generation and idea realization behaviours depend on creative role identity (Study 1), that idea generation may be more salient in loose cultures (Study 2) and that when exposed to an incongruent tight culture, individuals temporarily switch their innovative identity content to fit the alternative cultural frame (Study 3). Our results paint a complex and dynamic picture of cultural exposure and role identity on innovative behaviour. Our results also suggest that cultural considerations and organizational interventions that shape the content of creative role identity may enhance innovative behaviours for global workers.

Immigrant Workers’ Language Proficiency and Cultural Identity Congruence and Work–Family Conflict: The Mediating Role of Interpersonal Conflict at Work

To facilitate a much greater understanding of work–family conflict (WFC) in the cross-cultural context, work–family research begins to investigate the critical role of acculturation in WFC. The purpose of this study is to expand understanding of the role of acculturation in a more nuanced way by investigating how two important facets of acculturation (i.e., language proficiency and cultural identity), jointly influence WFC among immigrant workers. We conducted a polynomial regression with response surface analysis using two-wave longitudinal data from Chinese immigrants in New Zealand ( N = 264). The results showed that the congruence of language proficiency and cultural identity led to lower levels of interpersonal conflict at work (ICW). However, the congruence between them at high levels did not lead to lower levels of ICW compared to congruence at low levels. In addition, ICW fully mediated the combined effects of immigrant workers’ language proficiency and cultural identity on their WFC. Our results suggest that benefits are associated with language proficiency and cultural identity congruence and the findings provide insight into the role of acculturation in WFC.

Smoking Cessation Interventions Among Asian Americans: a Scoping Review.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the USA, with smoking rates remaining disproportionately high among Asian-Americans, particularly in males with limited English proficiency, including Vietnamese (43%), Korean (37%), and Chinese (29%) Americans. Barriers to smoking cessation in this population include high social acceptability of smoking in participants' countries of origin, low quit intention, and limited use of linguistically appropriate smoking cessation resources. This paper aims to conduct a systematic review of studies evaluating the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions targeting Asian-Americans. The researchers conducted a thorough search of Scopus, Medline, Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar from 2006 through March 2022, as well as reference lists of relevant articles. The inclusion criteria for the studies were that they described smoking cessation interventions for Asian-Americans and Asian immigrants, and reported outcomes related to feasibility, acceptability, usability, and smoking-related outcomes. The review identified 14 studies with a total of 5607 participants, with participant numbers ranging from 26 to 2277. The interventions varied across 14 distinct approaches, with individual counseling being a prominent component. These interventions were found to be feasible and culturally acceptable. All studies reported positive smoking-related outcomes, including abstinence rates ranging from 26.7 to 68% and an increase in quit attempts. Culturally sensitive components and linguistically tailored content played a significant role in promoting participant engagement. The retention rates in the studies ranged from 42 to 100%, highlighting the importance of partnership with the Asian community, cultural and ethnic congruence, and family involvement and support. The review highlighted the lack of direct in-language treatment as a disadvantage for Asian-American smokers in accessing evidence-based treatments. Despite this, the review reported the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a limited number of culturally targeted interventions for Asian-Americans, who are the fastest-growing racial-ethnic group. Future research should focus on exploring novel community-based and culturally adapted approaches for hard-to-reach and high-risk ethnic Asian subgroups to further improve smoking cessation outcomes in this population.

“This is really something: same place, same day result, same day treatment” women’s experiences of testing positive for HPV and receiving same-day treatment in Papua New Guinea: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

IntroductionHuman papillomavirus (HPV) testing is transforming cervical screening globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends same-day HPV screen-and-treat for primary cervical screening in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) but there is a lack of evidence on women’s lived experience of testing positive for oncogenic HPV and receiving same-day treatment. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap among women participating in a same-day HPV screen-and-treat (HPV S&T) program in Papua New Guinea.MethodsAs part of a larger qualitative study, this paper explores the lived experiences of 26 women who tested positive for oncogenic HPV and were treated the same day. We analysed the data using the interpretative phenomenological analysis method. All data were managed using Nvivo 12.5.ResultsThe interpretative phenomenological analysis led to three superordinate themes: 1) facing and alleviating initial worries, (2) transforming the disclosure process, and (3) connecting to their faith. Women’s experiences of the same day HPV screen-and-treat were framed by initial emotional reactions to their positive HPV test result, and having access to treatment on the same day, which helped address their worries and fears, and transformed their experience of disclosing their test result and subsequent treatment to family and friends.ConclusionThis study shows that, while women experience similar initial emotional reactions, undergoing same day treatment quickly resolved the women’s worries, making this program highly acceptable. Overall, women’s engagement in the program confirmed its high acceptability and cultural congruence, leaving women feeling empowered and hopeful about their future, and the future of all Papua New Guinea women.

The Origins of Armenian Nationalism in the United States and the American Armenian Press (1880s-1920s)

The growing scholarship on the ethnic press in the United States has greatly contributed to our understanding of their functions within ethnic communities and in the broader society. This study, focusing on a sample of the Armenian ethnic press, demonstrates that in the formative stages of the Armenian immigrant community (1880s-1920s), the Armenian press promoted long-distance nationalism, on the one hand, and ‘cultural congruence’ between American and Armenian values, identities, and worldviews, on the other hand. Armenians arrived in the United States in increasing numbers beginning in the late nineteenth century, as they fled Ottoman persecutions and massacres, and the community further grew in the aftermath of the genocide during World War I. As Armenians established roots in their new environment, their cultural production during the period under consideration included more than one hundred dailies, weeklies, and monthly journals. These publications fell into three categories: nationalist/long-distance nationalist, religious, and non-political/professional. The Armenian ethnic papers catered to the tastes of nostalgic immigrants and emphasized the urgency of reforms in, or outright liberation from, the Ottoman empire. Thus, this case study demonstrates that the Armenian ethnic press propagated long-distance nationalism as they sought to forge community solidarity and to fortify cultural preservation. At the same time, they also promoted American values, the American Dream, active citizenship, and Americanization in general—a significant point regarding the paradoxical role of the ethnic press in host societies but often neglected in the literature on ethnonationalism and long-distance nationalism. This article also briefly discusses the long-term ramifications of Armenian ethnic cultural development as a diaspora community in the United States.

Older Adult Mental Health: A Student-Led Project to Reduce Stigma Among Residents Living in a Publicly Supported Housing

Twenty percent of older adults report having a concern about their mental health. Mental health concerns lead to impairments in physical, mental, and social functioning and complicate the management of chronic illness. These concerns are widely underrecognized and often untreated or under-treated in community-dwelling older adults. A 6-week student-led mental health promotion initiative for older adults living in publicly supported housing was developed. The initiative included student-led weekly “mood” screenings which aimed to destigmatize mental illness and educational sessions teaching the older adults how to use iPads and access the internet and Wi-Fi. The goal of the project was to have residents engage in telehealth visits that promote mental health and improve quality of life. Ungirded by the RE-AIM framework, the initiative focused on achieving Reach by ensuring participants had sufficient knowledge and skill in using the telehealth technology and were not encumbered by mental illness stigma. The project sample of older adults living in publicly supported housing self-reported minimal depressive symptoms and demonstrated stigma toward seeking help for mental illness. Cultural implications contribute to these findings. To have a program with good Reach as delineated in the RE-AIM model, it must recognize facilitators and barriers. Integrating affordability, cultural congruency, and a social connection to community in its design together with the utilization of students during implementation may promote mental health and mitigate some of the negative health consequences.

Cultural congruity and academic confidence of American Indian graduate students in STEM: Peer interactions, mentor cultural support, and university environment fit.

Cultural congruity and academic confidence of American Indian graduate students in STEM: Peer interactions, mentor cultural support, and university environment fit.

Performance management around the world: solving the standardization vs adaptation dilemma

PurposeGlobalization and the COVID (post) pandemic continue to pose significant challenges to managing employee performance across geographic locations because there is a need to simultaneously implement procedures that are standardized and yet applicable to different contexts. This study aims to describe five universal principles in performance management that can be adapted to specific contexts to address the performance management standardization vs adaptation dilemma.Design/methodology/approachCritical literature review of evidence-based recommendations for practice.FindingsThis study describe five universal principles in performance management, how they can be adapted to specific contexts around the world and actions that organizations can take to implement them: (1) cultural congruence, (2) strategic congruence, (3) performance evaluation thoroughness, (4) inclusiveness and (5) effective feedback.Originality/valueThis study provide valuable and actionable knowledge for organizations facing performance management challenges around the world.

1167-P: “I don't know if I can call it discrimination, but…”—Perceived Discrimination in Provision of Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Care

Discrimination impacts health outcomes but is underexplored in pediatric T1D. In this pilot qualitative study, we evaluate perceived discrimination in provision of diabetes care for parents/guardians (PG) of youth with T1D and public insurance. PG (n=21, 39±8 yrs, youth 8±2 yrs, 67% Hispanic, 48% speak Spanish, 69% make <$50K) completed focus groups/interviews (FGI). FGI were conducted, transcribed, and coded in English (n=11) or Spanish (n=10), per PG preference. FGI transcripts were analyzed inductively by a five member bilingual team. While not always referred to as discrimination, PG reported differences in diabetes care by language, race/ethnicity, and insurance. Reported themes organically organized into the social ecological model (Figure). Systemic inequities via insurers, and institutional inequities via clinicians and schools were reported. Insurers required frequent advocacy from PG to navigate unequal treatment. Community was identified as protective through normalization and education of T1D, familial and communal support, and cultural and linguistic congruency. PG frequently described experiences in diabetes care consistent with the definition of discrimination, but not all readily adopt the terminology “discrimination”. Clinicians and researchers should be aware of this phenomenon to devise meaningful solutions to address diabetes equity. Disclosure R.Medina penaranda: None. K.K.Hood: Consultant; Cecelia Health. A.Addala: None. A.Bonilla ospina: None. H.Ortega: None. D.Pena: None. G.M.Shaw: None. L.Chamberlain: None. D.Naranjo: None. J.Raymond: None. D.M.Maahs: Advisory Panel; Medtronic, LifeScan Diabetes Institute, MannKind Corporation, Consultant; Abbott, Research Support; Dexcom, Inc. Funding Maternal & Child Health Research Institute; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K23DK13134201)

The potential benefits of "community champions" in the healthcare system.

In a study to understand acceptability and uptake of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) self-sampling, we engaged community champions to lead recruitment and other study activities. This article describes qualitative findings relevant to the role of the community champion. We found that community champions were critical to promoting awareness about and encouraging cervical screening and HPV self-sampling. They were well-connected community members who had healthcare backgrounds, which created trust in their messages. They were highly effective at encouraging screening because of their education and cultural congruency, combined with the time for thorough and clear explanations. Women had an inherent level of comfort with the community champions that often did not exist with their physician. The community champions were seen as being able to address some of the barriers that exist within the healthcare system. We encourage health leaders to consider how this role can be sustainably and meaningfully incorporated into the healthcare system.

Two-Sided Cultural Fit: The Differing Behavioral Consequences of Cultural Congruence Based on Values Versus Perceptions

How do people establish and maintain cultural fit with an organization? Prior research has offered two perspectives that have heretofore been conceptually disconnected. One focuses on personal values, whereas another emphasizes perceptions of the cultural code. We develop a theoretical account that integrates these approaches by linking them to distinct mechanisms and behavioral consequences of cultural fit. We propose that value congruence—the match between one’s values and those that prevail in an organization—relates to the mechanism of group attachment and shapes behavior when one periodically steps back from day-to-day interactions, assesses one’s identification with an organization, and determines whether to stay or voluntarily depart. In contrast, we argue that perceptual congruence—the degree to which one implicitly understands an organization’s prevailing values and norms—relates to the mechanism of interpersonal coordination and influences behavior when one engages in routine peer interactions. Accordingly, we theorize that these two forms of cultural fit relate to distinct behaviors, voluntary exit and linguistic conformity with peers, respectively. Drawing on email and survey data from a midsized technology firm, we find support for our theory and discuss the implications of our findings for research on person-culture fit, dual-process models of culture and cognition, and the pairing of surveys with digital trace data. Funding: This work was supported by the Berkeley Culture Center, the Cortese Distinguished Chair in Management, the Grether Chair of Business Administration and Public Policy.

The Association Between Korean American Nurse and Primary Care Provider Burnout, Areas of Worklife, and Perceptions of Pandemic Experience: Cross-sectional Study

Korean immigrants are among the fastest-growing ethnic minority groups and make up the fifth-largest Asian group in the United States. A better understanding of the work environment factors and its impact on Korean American nurse and primary care provider (PCP) burnout may guide the development of targeted strategies to help mitigate burnout and workplace stressors, which is critical for the retention of Korean American nurses and PCPs to promote better alignment of national demographic trends and meet patients' preference for cultural congruence with their health care providers (HCPs). Although there is a growing number of studies on HCP burnout, a limited number of studies specifically focus on the experience of ethnic minority HCPs, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of these gaps in literature, the aim of this study was to assess burnout among Korean American HCPs and to identify work conditions during a pandemic that may be associated with Korean American nurse and PCP burnout. A total of 184 Korean American HCPs (registered nurses [RNs]: n=97; PCPs: n=87) practicing in Southern California responded to a web-based survey between February and April 2021. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, Areas of Worklife Survey, and Pandemic Experience & Perceptions Survey were used to measure burnout and work environment factors during the pandemic. A multivariate linear regression analysis was used to assess work environment factors associated with the 3 subcategories of burnout. No significant differences were found in the level of burnout experienced by Korean American nurses and PCPs. For RNs, greater workload (P<.001), lower resource availability (P=.04), and higher risk perception (P=.02) were associated with higher emotional exhaustion. Greater workload was also associated with higher depersonalization (P=.003), whereas a greater (professional) community (P=.03) and higher risk perception (P=.006) were associated with higher personal accomplishment. For PCPs, greater workload and poor work-life balance were associated with higher emotional exhaustion (workload: P<.001; worklife: P=.005) and depersonalization (workload: P=.01; worklife: P<.001), whereas only reward was associated with personal accomplishment (P=.006). Findings from this study underscore the importance of strategies to promote a healthy work environment across multiple levels that recognize demographic variation among Korean American RNs and PCPs, potentially influencing their burnout mitigation needs. A growing recognition of identity-informed burnout experiences across frontline Korean American RNs and PCPs argues for future explorations that capture nuance both across and within this and other ethnic minority nurse and PCP groups. By recognizing and capturing these variations, we may better support the creation of targeted, burnout-mitigating strategies for all.

Formal Ethics, Content Ethics and Relational Ethics: Three Approaches to Constructing Ethical Sales Cultures and Identities in Retail Banking

AbstractFollowing the global financial crisis, banks have become more regulated to advance ethical sales cultures throughout the sector. Based on case studies of three retail banks, we find that they construct the ‘appropriate advisor’ in different ways. Inspired by Bakhtin’s work on ethics, we propose a vocabulary of relational ethics centered on the ‘answerable self.’ We argue that this vocabulary is apt for studying and discussing how organizations advance ethical sales cultures in ways that instead of encouraging value congruence and alignment allow for ethical openness. In such cultures, employees—as moral agents—are morally questioning, critically self-reflexive, and answerable for their own actions toward others in their social relationships. Our paper makes three theoretical contributions, namely, problematizing the idea of cultural alignment and value congruence, demonstrating that identity regulation can both comprise and support the ‘answerable self,’ and advancing our understanding of the interdependence of ethical openness and ethical closure in fostering ethical sales cultures.

The Theory of Independent-Mindedness: Three Decades of Research on Organizational Communication Effectiveness

The purpose of this article is to review over three decades of research supporting the organizational communication management theory known as the Theory of Independent-Mindedness. The theory is especially productive in assessing superior-subordinate communication for organizations located within individualistic cultures. The article synthesizes extant research on the Theory of Independent-Mindedness. The research reviewed in this article provides empirical support for the theory’s premises in that cultural congruity must be present between the macro-culture (larger culture within which the organization operates) and the micro-culture (the culture developed within the specific organization). Several studies clearly indicate that independent-minded employees report being more satisfied and committed to their organization, and advocate communication skills training for organizational members at all levels.

Креативность и культурная конгруэнтность подростков

Background. The study of cultural congruence as a personality trait responsible for the regulation of adolescent behavior in relation to the rules typical for this age is one of the important tasks for developmental psychology. The range of rules despite its diversity has an invariant series. This invariant part of diversity is specific for each age stage. the contradiction between the need to follow generally accepted rules and conditions for the development of creativity associated with atypical and original products of creative activity makes up the problem of studying cultural congruence of creative teenagers. There is a lack of research on the relationship between two diametrically opposed psychological qualities of adolescents: cultural congruence and creativity. The objective of the study is to analyze the correlation between cultural congruence and creativity; as well as to study the influence of divergent thinking on the cultural congruence in adolescents. Sample. The research was conducted in 4 stages between March 2021 and March 2022 and involved 272 adolescents, ages 13 to 16 (М = 14.21; SD = 1.02), (139 male and 133 female). Students of 7th, 8th, and 9th grades at four lyceums in Kazan took part in the study. Methods. The methods included the test of divergent creative thinking (F. Williams, modified by E.E. Tunik, 2003), the questionnaire to diagnose the level of cultural congruence for adolescents (L.F. Bayanova, O.G. Minyaev, 2016), the test to identify creative abilities (H. Zievert, 1998). The study assessed the following parameters: curiosity, imagination, risk-taking, self-discipline, quick-thinking, divergent thinking, cultural сongruence as the ability to control behavior regarding the rules typical of the social situation of development in adolescence. Mathematical data processing was carried out using methods of descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient (r), Cheddock scale, the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results. The research of the indicators of divergent thinking, creative characteristics, and cultural congruence of adolescents concludes that of the variety of dichotomous relations, a significant inverse correlation was found between the structural component of cultural congruence, i.e., “safety” and divergent thinking (confidence level is 95% (p ≤ 0.05; r = –12). It provides a partial confirmation of the hypothesis. The final stage of the research included an analysis of variance using the one-factor ANOVA method. Following the results of the analysis, it was found that the influence of divergent thinking on the cultural congruence of adolescents is not significant. Conclusion. The data obtained indicate a weak correlation of the ambivalent factors, i.e., creativity and cultural congruence. The results show an inverse correlation between creativity and the “safety” scale of the method for diagnosing the cultural congruence for adolescents. The revealed ambivalence of the studied indicators distinguishes the nature of correlations, identified previously in the study of behavior regulation and creativity of preschool and primary school children.

CULTURAL CONGRUENCE AND DIVERGENT THINKING IN –-YEAR-OLD TEENAGERS

Relevance of the study. The study of cultural congruence in creative teenagers presents a signifi cant challenge due to the confl icting demands of cultural norms and the conditions necessary to foster creativity. These conditions are crucial for the social and personality development of teenagers. Despite the importance of this issue, there is a lack of research examining the complex relationship between contrasting psychological traits in adolescents, such as cultural congruence and creativity. Research objective is the analysis of correlation between cultural congruence and divergent thinking in younger and older teenagers, and assessment of the extent to which divergent thinking affects cultural congruence in a normative setting. Methods and sampling. The study involved  teenagers aged - (M=.) and was conducted during a year between March  and March  at multi-profi le lyceums in Kazan, Russia. The study used reliable, adapted, and valid methods, the methodology of L.F. Bayanova and O.G. Minyaev “Determining the Level of Cultural Congruence for Adolescents,” H. Zivert’s questionnaire “Determining Creative Abilities”, F. Williams’ “Test of Personality Creative Characteristics,” N.A. Baturin and E.L. Soldatova’s “Diagnosis of Divergent Thinking,” A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman’s questionnaire “Study of Willful Self-Regulation”, and V.I. Morosanova’s questionnaire “Style of Behavior Self-Regulation”. Key fi ndings. The study found that younger adolescents show more cultural primitivity and highly developed divergent thinking compared to older teenagers. A variance analysis established the infl uence of divergent thinking on the cultural congruence of teenagers. Conclusion. These results are of practical signifi cance and can be used as the basis for developmental programs when working with teenagers.

Developing a Culturally Responsive Sexual and Reproductive Health Curriculum for HIV Prevention among African Immigrant Women

Background: Incidence rates of HIV are higher among African-born immigrants than in the general US population. In Minnesota, African-born immigrant women accounted for 40% of all adult females (as assigned by birth) living with HIV and 39% of new diagnosis in 2021, while constituting only 2% of the female population. Findings from a preliminary study point to gender-specific, sociocultural factors as drivers of HIV in this population. Key among these is the lack of sexual and reproductive health knowledge, consequent to cultural norms that regard sex-related discussions as taboo, making African women particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. Conventional HIV prevention programming has not been effective as these approaches lack cultural congruence. In the absence of culturally responsive strategies, AB women are likely to remain at significant risk of HIV. Program Description: This report is a description of the process and key elements employed in developing a curriculum for culturally-responsive, community-based sexual and reproductive health education for HIV prevention among African-born women. The Curriculum Design Team (CDT) of five (5) AB immigrant women adapted and augmented the Becoming A Responsible Teenager (BART) curriculum and developed a culturally congruent theoretical framework to guide programming. Feedback on the curriculum and programming was sought from community members through focus groups with African-born men and women, respectively. Recommendations: Feedback from community-engaged efforts included alignment with cultural norms and values regarding the roles and influence of women; ensuring cultural appropriateness of content and delivery; racial-concordance of facilitators and participants; and use of informal social group setting as critical elements to facilitate engagement of African-born women in the proposed approach to HIV prevention in this population.

Model-based learning towards environment in cross-cultural communication: a mediating role of technology innovation acceptance in culture congruence and English language teaching for environmental education

The effectiveness of English language teaching is a significant issue, especially in countries where English is the second language, like China, and this aspect needs researchers’ emphasis. Hence, this study deems to analyze the model-based learning toward a green environment and how it can impact green culture congruence and effective green culture adoption. It also examines the green culture congruence, and innovation technology acceptance role in the English language teaching for the environment, in the institutions of China. The study also examines the mediating impact of green culture congruence and effective green culture adoption among model-based learning towards the environment and English language teaching for environmental education. Also, it checks the mediating impact of innovation technology acceptance among green culture congruence and English language teaching for the environment in China. This article has used the primary data collected from students of English language institutions using survey questionnaires. The study has also employed the SPSS-AMOS to analyze the linkage among the variables. All hypotheses were significant to the designed framework. Further, this study will help guide the policymakers while making the policies related to improving English language teaching using model-based learning towards environment and technology innovation acceptance.

Chinese cultural biases, value congruence, and support for and compliance with protective policies during the COVID‐19 pandemic

AbstractPublic support for and voluntary compliance with protective policy measures are crucial to mitigating the spread of infectious disease. However, it is unclear why and how people with diverse cultural biases support particular protective policies. Relying on the Cultural Theory (CT) of risk, we hypothesize that value congruence with social distancing and a vaccine mandate during the COVID‐19 pandemic influences the level of public support for and compliance with these protective policies. Analyzing a Chinese nationwide sample, we find that the effects of cultural biases on public support and compliance vary not only with cultural biases but by how these are mediated through value congruence with particular protective policies. As hypothesized, hierarchical cultural biases increase public support for and compliance with social distancing and a vaccine mandates both directly and (indirectly) through value congruence. By contrast, as hypothesized, fatalistic cultural biases decrease public support for and compliance with social distancing both directly and (indirectly) through lack of value congruence and individualistic biases decrease public support for and compliance with social distancing and a vaccine mandate both directly and (indirectly) through lack of value congruence. However, the hypothesized effects of fatalistic biases did not hold for the vaccine mandate. We discuss reasons why these latter hypotheses regarding the vaccine mandate were not validated and suggest that risk analysts and communicators do more to discover and explain why particular protective policies are congruent with diverse cultural values.