The purpose of this study is to determine whether a web-based training program with text-based information as well as practical exercises can improve cross-cultural competencies in therapists.
As the number of patients from diverse cultures increases in psychotherapeutic care, cross-cultural competencies of therapists become increasingly important. In particular, mental health care of patients with immigration background needs to be improved as studies show that these patients drop out of treatment more often and benefit less from therapy. In addition, patients with immigration background and refugees show higher prevalences in mental illnesses. Nevertheless, evaluated training programs to improve cross-cultural competencies in psychotherapists are lacking. In particular, web-based training programs, which allow therapists to work time-flexible and at their own pace on a training, are, to date, missing completely. For the current study, a web-based training program to improve therapists' cross-cultural competencies was developed. It is based on existing conceptions of cross-cultural competencies. The developed program consists of six modules with the following contents: definitions and conceptions of culture, the role of cross-cultural competencies in psychotherapy, the influence of prejudices and discrimination as well as the role of migration and acculturation, and culturally sensitive diagnostics. The modules contain PDF-files with text-based information, video files, case studies with associated questions as well as practical exercises. The main focus of the training is the participants' self-reflection concerning their conceptions of (their own) culture and their beliefs about culturally diverse patients. The training group will be compared to two other groups, i.e. an education only and a waitlist control group. Whereas the waitlist control group will not receive any training materials, the education only group will receive a slimmed down version of the training consisting only of text-based information files.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
173
Six modules containing PDF-files with text-based information, video files, case studies with associated questions and practical exercises. Participants can download the modules and associated materials from an online platform they need to register for. They receive access to modules and associated exercises once a week. After six weeks the training is completed.
Six modules containing only PDF-files with text-based information. Participants can download the modules and associated materials from an online platform they need to register for. They receive access to modules once a week. After six weeks the education is completed.
Philipps University Marburg
Marburg, Hesse, Germany
Transcultural Competencies of Psychotherapists Questionnaire (TKKP; Reichardt et. al., in prep.)
Change in cross-cultural psychotherapeutic competencies
Time frame: pre-training, post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training); follow up (6 month after training completion)
Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI; Sodowsky, 1994)
Change in cross-cultural psychotherapeutic competencies
Time frame: pre-training, post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training); follow-up (6 month after training completion)
Cultural sensitivity in actual psychotherapeutic work I
Percentage of culturally diverse patients currently in treatment in own actual psychotherapeutic work
Time frame: pre-training, post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training), follow-up (6 month after training completion)
Cultural sensitivity in actual psychotherapeutic work II
Willingness to treat culturally diverse patients in own actual psychotherapeutic work (rating scale)
Time frame: pre-training, post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training), follow-up (6 month after training completion)
Cultural sensitivity in actual psychotherapeutic work III
Satisfaction with cross-cultural therapies provided in actual psychotherapeutic work (rating scale)
Time frame: pre-training, post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training), follow-up (6 month after training completion)
Cultural sensitivity in actual psychotherapeutic work IV
Perceived competence in the currently provided cross-cultural therapies (rating scale)
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Time frame: pre-training, post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training), follow-up (6 month after training completion)
Knowledge regarding the provision of cross-cultural psychotherapy
Test of specific knowledge gained during the training (knowledge test in multiple choice answer format)
Time frame: post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training)
Training satisfaction scale
Satisfaction with the training (rating scale; items assessing satisfaction with contents and structure of the developed training)
Time frame: post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training); follow-up (6 month after training completion)
Learning success scale
Rating of competencies achieved through the training for the treatment of culturally diverse patients (rating scale, rating of the degree to which certain competencies have been achieved)
Time frame: post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training); follow-up (6 month after training completion)
Cultural sensitivity in psychotherapeutic work (Behavioural change measure)
Rating of different case examples with focus on expected difficulty and effectiveness of psychotherapy (given different cases with different disorders, severity levels, and cultural backgrounds)
Time frame: post-training (6 weeks after the start of the training), 2 months after training completion; follow-up (6 month after training completion)