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Development and validation of a measurement of multicultural competence toward Arab Americans
Khoury, D., & Manuel, J. (2016). Development and validation of a measurement of multicultural competence toward Arab Americans. Best Practices in Mental Health.
Provider cultural competence is an integral facet in the provision of adequate, consistent, and fair mental health services, specifically services provided to members of minority groups. The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test a self-administered measure of the multicultural competency of mental health providers toward Arab Americans. Current conceptualizations of cultural competence are discussed, and a comprehensive framework for viewing cultural competence is presented. This framework is the basis for the development of a measure assessing mental health providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills in practice with Arabs and Arab Americans. The process through which this measure was developed and modified is presented, including the utilization of an Arab American focus group. The measure was pilot tested with a non-probability sample of nineteen mental health providers in central Virginia. Internal consistency reliability for the overall scale was .753. Reliability estimates for the three subscales ranged from .569 to .745. Construct validity was supported with a significant correlation to the established Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness scale. The continued development and validation of this measure is an important step in addressing a notable gap of culturally specific interventions and measurements in the area of cultural competence.