Dissertation

Multicultural competency and multicultural conflicts encountered by entry level certified therapeutic recreation specialists

Blair, Debra Kaye

2003

Overview

The purpose of this study was to explore the multicultural competencies of entry level Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRSs). The study was designed to determine if there are differences in competency levels based upon identified demographic variables as well as to determine how CTRSs compare to other helping disciplines in terms of multicultural (MC) competencies. Finally, the study used qualitative data to determine what are the most commonly occurring client/therapist multicultural conflicts and the strategies used by CTRSs in resolving these conflicts. This study involved the use of both quantitative and qualitative data analyses using standardized self-report instruments. Quantitative data were collected using the Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI) (Sodowsky, Taffe, Gutkin, & Wise, 1994), and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Reynolds, 1982). Qualitative data were obtained from participant responses to the Cultural Conflicts in Therapeutic Recreation Practice form (CCTRP) (Blair, 2000). Analyses of qualitative data involved the development of themes from statements of respondents using the investigator's analyses, and TextSmart 1.0, a word mining software program for qualitative analyses. Information was obtained on 156 entry-level CTRSs who had been certified within the past three years. Respondents were predominantly Caucasian (79.5%), female (83%), and between the ages of 20–29 years. Analysis of variance and t-test analyses indicated that demographic, training/education, and employment variables impacted MC competency levels (i.e., age, gender, ethnicity, number of workshops taken that dealt with cultural diversity, whether there were courses taken where information about cultural diversity was infused, and minority caseload). There were also significant findings with respect to differences in MC competency areas among CTRSs but there were no significant differences in MC competency levels of CTRSs as compared to Nursing Students. Results from the study indicated that there were a number of cultural conflicts that occurred in therapeutic recreation practice (i.e., race/ethnicity differences, language/communication barriers, differing concepts of leisure and therapeutic recreation, age/gender issues, conflicts around culture sensitive programming, cultural lifestyle issues, and issues of cultural mistrust in healthcare). There were also several different successful strategies (open communication, education, client deferment, change of TR intervention approach, and modified communication) employed to resolve those cultural conflicts.

• Publisher: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
• Subject: Exercise, kinesiology, and sport sciences / Kinesiology / Recreation / Social psychology / Sports medicine
• ISBN: 9780496452880, 0496452886