Volume 12, Number 2, Fall 2017Self-Assessment of Cultural Responsiveness in Speech-Language Pathology AUTHOR(S):
ABSTRACT All practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are required to demonstrate cultural competence when engaged in ethical clinical practice as a board certified practitioner. While graduate training programs are required to provide a curriculum that addresses Multicultural/Multilingual Issues (MMI; e.g. academic and clinical experiences), SLPs have expressed a lack of confidence in their delivery of culturally competent services to diverse populations. The purpose of this study is to examine the self-reported frequency with which SLPs use culturally responsive strategies as a result of their graduate training experience. A 45-item electronic survey was disseminated to SLPs holding a Certificate of Clinical Competence who indicated whether they had completed an MMI-dedicated course during their graduate studies. While results indicated that both the Infused Only (IO) model and the Dedicated and Infused (DI) model have a statistically significant effect on the service delivery of SLPs to culturally and linguistically diverse populations, those who took an MMI-dedicated course utilize culturally responsive strategies more consistently than those who did not. The implications of these findings suggest that CSD curriculum must be reformed in response to current research across disciplines, which supports general infusion with dedicated coursework for producing culturally and linguistically responsive clinicians. DOI: DOWNLOAD FULL ARTICLE |